The opener for your garage door is a straightforward device that can often last upwards of 20 years. However, even if yours is still functioning properly, there are a number of reasons that you may want to consider replacing it.
If it Was Made Before 1993
It wasn’t until 1993 that garage door openers were required by law to come with safety reversal features. To achieve this, a pair of sensors are mounted about six inches from the floor on either side of the garage door. Should a pet, child or object get in the way of these sensors, the door will stop closing and reverse its movement. If your opener lacks this critical safety feature or if it’s no longer functioning the way it should, it should be replaced as soon as possible.
Minimize Noise
When your garage door opener is old or poorly maintained, the noise it makes can disturb your neighbors or the other people in your household. In cases like these, a replacement may be due. The most common type of garage door opener utilizes a chain drive, much like a bicycle, to open and close the door. However, these tend to become very loud with time. You may wish to consider replacing it with a either a belt-driven or screw-driven model. You may also find an updated chain-driven model to be quieter than your current one.
Improved Security
If you have an older model of opener, your home may be an ideal target for burglars. Remotes for these earlier models use a static code, which can be easily cracked by someone sitting outside of your home with a special device. It’s also not unheard of for one person’s remote to open many different garage doors. Such a security flaw gives thieves easy entryway into your home through your garage. These days, however, garage door openers come with a dynamic code that changes each time the remote is used, helping to prevent unauthorized entry.
Keyless Entry
Older models of garage door openers didn’t come with a keypad that could be installed on the outside of the garage. This convenient tool enables you to punch in a code in order to enter your garage, eliminating the need for keys that can be copied, lost or stolen. If you can’t install an aftermarket keypad for your opener, you may want to update it. Many new keypads don’t even require you to memorize a code and work instead by fingerprint recognition.