When it comes to home repairs, updating your garage door is not typically something that pops into mind. There is usually a long list of home improvements that could be done to your house. However, most people leave garage doors off of that list. Time to face fact’s though, garage doors have components that are susceptible to breaking. This includes your garage door opener. Sooner or later you’ll have to replace your garage door opener with a more reliable one. Read on to find out when you need to update your garage door opener.
Sluggish Garage
There is a lot that goes into opening and closing a super heavy garage door more than two times a day. This gives your garage door a crazy workout. Now imagine having the same reliable and hard-working garage door opener for over a decade. Eventually all that good effort and wear and tear will catch up to it, causing it to run very slow.
If you’ve noticed your garage starting to run slower and taking longer to open and close, your garage door opener might be trying to call it quits. Other signs might be chronic overheating, and an increased wear of garage components such as belts and chains. Keep in mind that garage doors last for up to 30 years. That is, when you provide the right level of maintenance and care. Most garages last about 10-12 years as a projected life expectancy. If you haven’t replaced your garage door in over a decade, it’s time to look for a replacement.
More Features
The newest garage doors come with features that will enhance your whole experience. Some manufacturers now let you include your garage into your ‘smart home’ system. This lets you control it with a smartphone or tablet app. You can even set an automated timer for your garage if it is left open for a certain amount of time. Some newer openers contain a battery backup, so you have nothing to worry about if the power goes out during a storm.
Safety features are another great reason to update your garage door. If you still own one that was made before 1993, that year marked a new requirement for garage door openers to have a safety feature that prevents things from being crushed or trapped under it. The safety reversing feature is a new standard on all modern garage door openers.
Peace and Quiet
The older your garage door opener, the louder it tends to be. There’s no shame in wanting a garage door that doesn’t cause such a ruckus every time you open and close it. Looser and old hardware can make doors noisier, making a replacement all the more attractive. Certain types of garage door openers are quieter than others by just the way they are designed. Openers that are made to work by belts are a popular alternative to chain driven openers because of how much quieter they are. DC powered openers are not only light, quieter, and much more compact than AC-powered openers, they are also much more efficient while also creating less vibration.
