Wondering which garage door opener features to look for? Garage door openers have evolved significantly since their invention; becoming safer and smarter every year. But it can be hard to distinguish which features will be the best for your garage door. Let’s take a look at some of the most important garage door opener features to look for, and how those will affect you and your home.
Safety Features
As always, safety comes first! This is hands down the most important feature to consider when looking for a garage door opener. Sensors and the Automatic Reversing features will significantly decrease the risk of any injuries or accidents. The Automatic Reversing feature will automatically switch the direction of the garage door any time it encounters an unexpected obstacle. While the sensors create a line using lasers that, when gets broken, prevents the garage door from closing.
Type of Opener
Before browsing various garage door openers, you need to understand what type of opener will work with your garage door. It’s generally a good idea to choose a door and an opener that were made by the same manufacturer. The different types of openers are:
- Chain-driven garage door openers are more affordable and stronger than their belt-driven counterparts. Their durability will extend the life of your opener, and their strength guarantees your garage door will open consistently.
- Belt-driven garage door openers are ideal if you are looking for an opener that makes less noise and movement. The convenience of a quieter mechanism, however, comes with a cost and they tend to be pricier than a chain-driven opener.
- Screw-Drive garage door openers use a different approach to lifting the garage door, and are faster and more reliable than chain and belt-driven openers. However, screw drive garage door openers require more maintenance and are not suitable for heavy doors found in older homes.
Manual Release
Garage door openers are a wonderful modern convenience! But you may still need to manually open your garage door from time to time, especially in the event of a power loss. This is why having a garage door opener with the Manual Release feature is critical. Manually opening your garage door is also a wonderful way to check for sagging.
Don’t forget to consider some of the more enjoyable features, too – like an opener that can be controlled from your smartphone! No matter which garage door opener you decide to purchase, ensuring the functionality and safety of your opener relies on a quality installation job. If you are looking to install or replace your garage door opener, contact our trusted professional team at 1-888-602-6550.
