Shopping For A New Garage Door Opener? 3 Features You Should Look For
Posted on: 27 August 2015
If you are in the market for a new garage door, you might assume that you will be met with a familiar array of options. However, modern-day garage door openers boast improvements that can keep you safe and make your life a little easier. Here are three features you should look for as you hunt for a new garage door opener:
1: Rolling Code Technology
Smart criminals are always looking for another way to hack electronic systems, which is why standard garage door openers aren't the safest option. Believe it or not, the radio frequencies sent by your garage door remote can be captured from a distance, giving thieves easy access to your home.
However, garage door openers that use rolling code technology might help you to avoid this security threat. Instead of transmitting the same signal time after time, garage door openers that use rolling codes change the frequency after each use. After you open or close your garage door with your remote, the system automatically changes the code to one of around a million combinations, making it nearly impossible for a stranger to rip off your garage door frequency.
If you are worried about new remotes being hard to program, you shouldn't be. Garage door openers with rolling code technology typically contain a standard "learn" button on the system body, making it easy to program replacement remotes and smart vehicle visors.
2: Home Automation Compatibility
Nothing is worse than getting home from an outing only to find your garage door wide open. In addition to wondering if a stranger is lurking inside of your house, you might also worry about stolen goods and wandering pets. However, some garage door systems offer home automation compatibility, so that you can keep your home safe and secure. After installing a cell phone application, you can control your garage door from anywhere with an Internet connection. In addition to warding off simple forgetfulness, automated garage doors also offer these benefits:
- Alerts: Wouldn't it be nice to know if your garage door is opened when you are away on a trip? Some automation systems can send alerts or notifications to your phone, so that you can keep an eye on your home.
- Mechanical Problems: Troubleshooting garage doors can be difficult, especially if you aren't always around to witness issues. Fortunately, some automation systems contain continuous monitoring, so that you can report mechanical problems to contractors. For example, your system might keep track of the area where the door is failing or the times of day you tend to have problems.
- Energy Efficiency: Being able to control your garage door on the go might also help you to protect your energy bill. Your garage acts as a buffer between the outside world and your carefully climate controlled home. However, if that door is left open, it can let heated or cooled air escape — making your HVAC system work harder than it needs to. However, if you have the option of controlling your garage door from anywhere, you can keep your home the right temperature.
Before you shop for an automated garage door opener, write down the make and model of your home automation system. That way, when you shop, you can look for a garage door opener that uses the same software programming.
3: Speedier Operation
If you feel like your garage door takes forever to open, it might not be your imagination. Typical garage door openers offer about 7 inches of lift or drop per second, which means that your 12-foot high garage door takes almost 21 seconds to open or close. Fortunately, newer garage door openers are capable of moving twice that fast, cutting your wait time in half.
Investing in a state-of-the-art garage door opener might help you to protect your family, time and resources. Get in touch with a company like Caspersen Garage Doors if you have specific questions about new garage doors.
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