Since their conception in the 1920’s, garage doors have come a long way. On top of the multiple styles and materials – such as single wide, double wide, carriage house, contemporary…wood, aluminum, steel – garage doors have also found new ways of operating. Before, garage doors had to be open and shut by hand. Then along came belt drives, chain drives, and finally – smart drive. So, what are the latest gadgets for garage doors and where is the industry heading? Let’s see the latest in garage door gadgets.

Smart Garage Door Opener

Ah, the smart garage door opener. A total game changer for those of us who have often come home to discover we left the garage door open all day. Again. In comes the smart garage door opener, where controlling one of your home’s entry points is as simple as checking an app!  With the press of a button, your garage door can be open, closed, illuminated, or turned off. From anywhere!

Integrated Home Monitoring Systems

Home monitoring systems allow you to connect video cameras and/or motion-activated sensors to entry and exit points of your home. Including your garage! Enjoy the peace of mind of knowing your home is safe while you are on vacation, running errands, or any other time you are away from your house. Should a curious animal or an intruder try tampering with your garage door, you will receive an alert on your smartphone.

Eco-Friendly Garage Doors

It is becoming increasingly important to consider the environmental impact our choices and consumption have. Including what the items we use every day are made of. Luckily, manufacturers have begun considering the same thing. And now, garage doors with a lower carbon footprint are becoming easier to access. From sustainably sourced materials such as recycled steel, to well insulated doors that require less energy for temperature control. 

Accessibility and gadgets available for garage doors today have come a long way. There are so many options available, it can become a bit overwhelming to learn all the types of doors and features available. Especially with the ever changing world of technology! How do you choose? That’s where Adam’s Door Systems can help. Don’t hesitate to call us at 1-888-602-6550.

Garages have been around for as long as people have been using some form of wheels for transportation. In it’s earliest form, a standalone carriage house served as the garage. Though this rusting structure often consisted of dirt floors, simple walls, and a gate. As production of the automobile skyrocketed in the 20th century, people felt the need for a more secure and durable form of storage. This originally looked like private garages for rent before transforming into something more personal; that didn’t require a fee or some other form of transportation to reach. Thus the garage as we know it was born!  

So When Did The Door Come Into Play?

Garage doors originally looked like two barn doors that swung outward. Unfortunately, the daily wear and tear of opening these doors took a quicker toll than the garage doors of today. The near constant need for replacement, combined with the difficulty and strength required to operate the door, made society hungry for a solution. A new door needed to be invented. 

Who Do We Have To Thank For Modern Garage Doors?

In 1920, a lodger in Detroit was working as a salesman in the auto specialties industry. The man was named C.G. Johnson, and he was a visionary. He understood that people needed a garage door that opened up and out of the way, and seized the potential as Ford Motor Company began manufacturing over 1 million new, affordable cars for the first time.

n 1921, he created the Overhead Door Company and invented the first overhead sectional garage door. To sell the new product, Johnson mounted a small prototype of the door on the back of his Model T Ford, and drove around the country signing up distributors.​ Five years later, he invented the first electrical garage door opener. Beginning in Detroit, the original garage door factory was a two-story, 1,000 SF building with a production capacity of one door per day. In 1924, the factory moved to Hartford City, Indiana, and built a new plant with 200,000 SF of manufacturing space.​​​​​​ Today, the Overhead Door Company still exists; having been a leading provider of garage doors for almost 100 years.

This new year, make a resolution for your garage door to work smarter and not harder. How? By investing in one of these top garage door gadgets, of course! Current smart garage door openers allow you to work your garage doors using your smartphone or other device. They also allow you to see certain information, such as who last opened your garage door and at what times the garage door was opened. So what are some of the best ones?

MyQ Garage Door Opener

The MyQ Garage Door Opener allows you to close or open the door even when you are not at home by connecting to your Wi-Fi network. The free mobile app lets you operate your garage doors from anywhere in the world, even setting up notifications to see whether your garage door is currently open or closed. Some other benefits? The MyQ is compatible with a wide range of garage door openers, meaning you most likely won’t need to replace your current opener to use it. The system also sounds an alert for 15 seconds before closing, giving anyone nearby plenty of warning to get out of the way. 

Garageio

Garageio is retrofitted to your existing garage door opener to connect it to your Wi-Fi network so that you could control it using your smartphone.  It works with IFTTT and Amazon Echo, meaning that you could just say, “Alexa, ask Garageio to open the garage doors.” and voila! With Garageio’s IFTTT, the opener can automatically close the garage door once you are a certain distance from your home. You can also give permissions to other devices so multiple people can operate the door – all while receiving real time notifications to keep you informed.

Gogogate 2

If you want to get the best out of any device you buy, then Gogogate2 is probably the one for you.  Gogogate2 gives you video integration apart from allowing you to operate your garage doors remotely. Gogogate2’s mobile app has the most user-friendly interface and gives you the most information about your garage door. Including temperature readings, and photos of the times your garage door was opened or closed. You can also add other users to the app, but with the added benefit of being able to restrict them to one time use or only certain times of day.

Digital doorbells, smart locks, climate control apps… There are so many nifty gadgets available these days that make entering and controlling your home easier. And while these gadgets may get all the love, it is not to underestimate the humble garage door opener that has been putting in the work to make traversing your car port as simple as a tap on a button or a spoken word. Below, find our top 3 picks for smart garage door openers/gadgets:

myQ Chamberlain Smart Garage Control

You don’t need a Chamberlain garage door opener to get the most out of their Smart Garage Control. This garage-based smart home hub works with your garage door opener to provide control and monitoring. Equipped with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi-capability, the myQ Control allows users to check the status of their garage door from anywhere in the world, receive alerts whenever a door opens, schedule door opening and closings, and operate their garage door on demand. All from their smartphone or watch!

Alcidae Garager 2

Smart Camera meets Garage Door Opener in the Alcidae Garager 2. Not only does this gadget allow owners to easily open and close their garage door, but it also allows them to survey their garage with sound and motion detectors. As if that wasn’t cool enough, the Garager 2 also features a built-in mic and speaker, allowing users to speak directly to intruders, be they robbers or raccoons.

Nexx Smart Wi-Fi Garage Door Controller

Looking for a compatible garage door controller for your older garage door opener? Enter Nexx, offering options and compatibility for older model openers. With Nexx, owners can operate all of their garage door functions via their smartphone. Or, thanks to Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, Nexx users can simply speak to their garage door to gain entry or exit. And thanks to Nexx’s Just Drive technology, the device will work in conjunction with your smartphone and home Wi-Fi network to automatically raise your garage door as it detects you are approaching. Now that’s cool!

Wondering which gadget might be right for you? Our team of qualified professionals is here to help! Contact us today at info@adamsdoorsystems.com.