Garage doors tend to last 10 or 15 years with a little maintenance. But they can last 20 years or more if they are serviced regularly! That said there are some very good reasons to replace your ageing garage door opener. New replacement garage door openers boast better safety features, security, modern conveniences and far quieter operation.
1. Injury protection (obstruction detection and automatic reversing)
To prevent crushing injury or damage while the door is closing, old garage door openers used a pressure sensor. If the motor detects a sudden decrease in pressure, it stops the door from closing further. The obvious drawback is that whatever is caught under the door receives a severe injury – before the door retracts. In 1993, Canadian and American authorities mandated that new garage door openers should have a second safety mechanism – using a light beam mounted either side of the door just above ground level.
2. Protection from hijacking
That old garage door openers’ signal can be hijacked and imitated is very well known. That’s because old models use remotes (and receivers) with some something called ‘fixed code’. It means the remote only sends out the same code to the opener. Once someone intercepts it, they can operate the door freely. New replacement garage door openers use the modern ‘rolling code’ system. The remote and motor unit rotate the code after every use, which makes hacking far less likely.
3. Keypads
Old garage door openers don’t have provision for a keypad – you have to use the switch inside the garage or the remote. With new openers you get a keypad mounted on the outside, which adds a lot of convenience and saves you from having to fumble for the keys with cold fingers. The newest garage door openers even come with fingerprint sensors!
4. Smoother and quieter
Motors may not break but they sure become noisy over time. Old models, particularly ones that use chain drive, can rattle the entire house no matter how much grease you apply. A new opener motor will offer far quieter and smoother operation right away. If you buy a screw drive or belt drive model, it will be virtually silent!
5. Battery operation
Are you in a part of Ottawa Valley that experiences frequent power outages? Cabin owners face this problem a lot during winter storms. New models come with built-in battery back-up that lets you operate the door for about 10 cycles (open and close) even without grid power.
6. Smart home integration
With lights, security systems and doorbells all integrated into your ‘smart home’ setup, why should your garage door opener be dumb? New openers come with Wi-Fi that lets them connect to an app on your phone. Smart home models also integrate with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Apple Siri and let you control the door with your voice! Doors can even be scheduled to be locked at pre-set times.
7. Reliable operation
Let’s face it: your old opener motor can give out any minute. You know it already requires a lot of maintenance to keep running today. A new motor will come with peace of mind, a long warranty and low-to-nil maintenance costs. You’ll save yourself from getting your hands dirty too.
