Garage Door Opener Accessories

Garage door openers are a convenience that most homeowners could not dream about living without.  Gone are the days of getting out of the car to open and then close the garage door when you arrived home after a long day at work.  While convenient, in the past garage door openers had two drawbacks, with the first being the size of the remote opener, while the second was a lack a means to open the garage door without the remote.   

This was problematic, as most families use the garage as the day-to-day front door to the home, including those that are not driving such as school age children.  In addition, active families, who enjoy walking, cycling and taking the dog for a walk, had no means to open or close the garage door unless they carried the remote that was designed for car use.  Without a garage door remote, there was no access to the garage! 

Now the major manufacturers have introduced both a miniature remote garage door opener that is small and light enough to carry in a pocket comfortably.  In addition, they can easily fit into a small purse, as well as on a motorcycle or bicycle.  These are very popular for active homeowners who may not be in their car when they need to access their garage. 

Keyless remote garage door openers mounted to the side of the garage door are also very popular, especially for homeowner’s with children that need to access the home thru the garage when returning home form school.  All that is needed is to enter the code to open or close the garage door!

Posted on behalf of Find Local Garage Door Service

How To Determine If Your Garage Door Opener Is Broken

You press the magic button, yet your garage door does not open. Your first feeling may be frustration, then panic. Not only is replacing your garage door opener expensive, it can also be a major inconvenience. However, before you call your local garage door repair service, it’s prudent to first try and troubleshoot the problem. Here are a few tips to help you determine whether your garage door opener needs repair or replacement: 

  • Is the light showing on your remote? If you press the button on your remote, is the light coming on as normal? If not, the battery within your remote may be dead. Try opening your garage door with the indoor opener button. If this method is successful, the opener is working, but you may need a new battery for your remote.
     
  • Check your opener for power. Often it is the simplest solution that will get your opener working properly again. Check to make sure your opener has power, and has not short-circuited through your power box. Try flipping your circuit breaker; if that doesn’t work, unplug your opener for a moment before reconnecting. Sometimes openers need to be reset, just like a computer.
     
  • Try opening your garage door manually. If your garage door opener is not working from either your remote or indoor opener control, try opening your door manually. A door that will not open manually means the opener is most likely fine; unfortunately, you may have a broken spring or cable that needs to be fixed by a professional. 

If after trying these methods your garage door opener is still not working, it may be time to call your garage door repair service. They can further assist you in troubleshooting your opener, and discuss repair or replacement options.

Posted on behalf of Habpro

Does Your Garage Door Opener Have A Battery Back-Up?

Fall and winter storms are right around the corner, often resulting in extensive power outages. What happens when you come home in the middle of a storm and your power is out, disabling your garage door? Do you have a key to get the garage manually? Will you need to stand outside in severe weather trying to get your door open, or run inside to open the garage from the interior emergency release feature? If you have a battery back-up for your garage door opener, you won’t need to worry about the occasional power failure. You garage door will be ready to open or close, even when the rest of your home is left in the dark. 

How Effective Are Garage Door Battery Back-Ups?

Battery back-ups for your garage door openers are an easy and affordable option which can make your life easier and safer in the event of a power outage. These rechargeable batteries can last for 24 hours during a blackout or storm, allowing you to open and close your garage door when you really need indoor access. There are a variety of options in back-up batteries, with some offering capabilities of up to 50 cycles in the 24 hours after a power outage. This ensures you will be able to get into your garage, even if your power has been out for several hours. 

Some of the newer garage door openers come equipped with battery back-up systems as an added benefit. However, even older garage door openers can be hooked into a battery back-up system. To learn more about adding a battery back-up or purchasing a new garage door opener with this option, call your local garage door company for more details.

Posted on behalf of Habpro

Is Your Garage Door Inviting Thieves Into Your Home?

One of the common ways for thieves to break into homes is through attached garages. For a clever thief, a garage door can be an easy way of quickly entering your home if you don’t have the right safety and security measures in place. However, most newer garage door openers offer many security features which can stop thieves from using your garage door opener as a way to get into your home. Here are a few features to look for in a new door, plus some security tips to keep intruders out of your home and garage.                             

–        Rolling codes. Newer remote controls for garage door openers feature rolling codes which make them difficult for thieves to manipulate. If your garage door opener is older, you may also have old technology which is easy for thieves to bypass in order to open your garage door.

–        Vacation protection. Some garage door openers offer features which allow you to disable all remote function. This is especially important when you are out of town or on vacation, and during times when no one should be accessing your garage door.

–        Smartphone applications. Many newer openers now integrate smartphone technology which allows for control and management of the garage door through the owner’s cell phone. This allows you to be alerted if the door is left opened or opened when you are not at home.

–        Remote theft. Always keep close tabs on your garage door remote. Never leave it sitting in open view in your vehicle. This is an open invitation for thieves to break into your car, steal your remote and head to the address on your vehicle’s registration to rob your home. 

If you have an older garage door opener, it may be time to upgrade to a model with higher security features. Not only are these features designed for convenience, they are vital to keeping out thieves and intruders who are savvy enough to bypass your old system. Call your local garage door company today to learn what new features are available in garage door openers.

Posted on behalf of Habpro

Does Your Garage Door Opener Talk To You?

If you haven’t looked at the features available on new garage door openers in the last few years, you may be amazed at the new options that these high-tech devices offer. While you may think of your garage door opener as just a convenience item, it is much important than that. Garage doors are one of the easiest ways for criminals to breach your home, endangering your safety and property. What if your garage door opener could talk to you, letting you know when someone is trying to get into your home? 

New Garage Door Opener Features

Garage door openers have evolved far past just opening and closing your heavy garage door. They now are available with high-tech security and safety options which can help protect your family and home. Consider these options that are now commonly offered: 

  • Smartphone applications – Your garage door opener can talk to you directly through your phone. New applications alert you when your garage door is opened. You can also open or close the door remotely with your phone. Imagine you are having an expensive item delivered while you are away. You can open the garage for the delivery person when they arrive, then close it when they are finished without leaving your home or packages vulnerable to theft or intrusion.
     
  • Security features – In addition to controlling your opener with your phone, new garage door openers come with advanced security features to ensure safety. Rolling security codes make it difficult for anyone to manipulate the opener, unlike older devices which are easily compromised. In addition, there are options for fingerprint access and other security features which can help protect your home. 

If you are ready to update your current garage door opener, talk to your local garage door service company to learn more about the incredible options available. Increase the security and convenience of your garage door with new technology designed to make your life easier.

Posted on behalf of Legacy Garage Doors

Garage Door Openers

There are different styles of garage door openers to fit the needs of everyone. Whether you are finally closing in a car port so that you no longer have to run in from the rain, or whether you are upgrading your current garage door opener to a more updated version, there are options available to suit all needs and budget. Traditional automatic garage door openers come with a remote that can be kept in your car or truck. These remotes allow you to open your garage door as you pull down your driveway. These traditional remotes have been extremely popular for the last 30 years. 

Today there are options to have an additional garage door opener. Perhaps you have teens who have started driving and they need their own garage door opener to enter the house when they come home. Or, perhaps you need to change out remotes to enter the garage due to a divorce. Garage door remotes are incredibly convenient for entering and exiting the home. No longer do you have to run back and forth during the rain and snow to open and close the garage door! 

Wireless keypads are also an option that is convenient for many families. For instance, if you want to take a walk but do not want to have to carry your garage door remote, a keypad will also you easy entrance into your garage while also locking it up while you are gone. When choosing a remote or keypad, or both, for your garage door it is important to take into consideration how they would be used in order to suit yours and your family’s needs.

Posted on behalf of Legacy Garage Doors

New Trends In Garage Door Openers

Garage door openers have evolved beyond just convenience; the newest trends offer high-tech options with improved security for your home. In the last few decades, vast improvements have been made to the technology used in garage door openers, offering devices that do much more than just move the door up and down on command. The newest models offer features that can do everything from helping you park your car to controlling them from your smart phone. 

What’s New In Garage Door Openers

Some of the hottest trends in high-tech garage door openers are centered around security and safety. Many operating systems now give you the ability to connect with your garage door opener through Wi-Fi technology, giving you management access to your garage door opener through your smartphone. Consider some of these trending new features in garage door openers: 

  • Smart phone applications – Many new models have smart phone applications available. This can allow you to open and control your garage door from where ever you are. Some offer the ability to give access to other smartphone users, or send you notifications about who is opening your garage door and when. Although these applications have been around for a few years, they are becoming more sophisticated as technology continues to improve.
     
  • Parking assistance – One of the new trends in garage doors is personal parking assistance. This feature allows you to set a laser to guide you on where to park within your garage. The laser will project onto your dashboard, letting you know exactly when to stop your vehicle. 

These new features can improve the security of your home while adding luxury and convenience. There is always something new right around the corner in technology, so talk to your local garage door service company about the newest features that are available in openers.

Posted on behalf of Legacy Garage Doors

Update Your Garage With An Automatic Garage Door Opener

Looking to add value and curb appeal to your aging house? You’ve probably thought of having a landscaper put in some new shrubs, or having a crew show up to add a shiny new coat of paint to the exterior of your home, but have you considered the value of having a state-of-the-art automatic garage door installed? 

As part of an overall remodel project to add attraction for would-be buyers or for added convenience, installing a new garage door and automatic garage door opener will bring your house up to date. Living with an outdated manual garage door can be such a hassle that homeowners will actually park in their driveways to avoid the physical exertion required to wrestle with their old garage door each time they leave or arrive. We’ve all been there, struggling with the handle, trying to lift properly in order to avoid back injury only to worry about a sudden fall when the door is finally in place. With an upgraded automatic electric garage door, these issues are a thing of the past. 

A professional garage door installation technician can have a new automatic garage door installed in no time. Make the call, learn about the options available for your garage and schedule the installation. You can open your new automatic garage door from the safety and convenience of your car or garage with your remote opener and keypad. Drive directly into your garage and shut the door behind you without any physical effort at all. No more worries about injury, damage to your vehicle or depreciating property values. A local garage door installation professional can make this dream a reality.

Posted on behalf of Legacy Garage Doors

Control Your Garage Door With Your Smartphone

How often have you forgotten to close your garage door, or even wondered if you remembered to close your garage door?  Have you ever gone out in the morning and found that your garage door had been left open all night?  Or maybe you have come home from work and discovered that your garage door has been left open all day.  It’s easy to get distracted and forget to close your garage door.

For most families, leaving a garage door open is more than just an inconvenience – it compromises the safety of your family, your home, and your personal property.  Many families use the garage door as the primary entrance to their home and if the door between your garage and your home is left unlocked, criminals can gain easy access to your home through a garage door inadvertently left open. 

Even if you keep the door between your garage and home locked, an open garage door provides criminals an opportunity to steal anything stored in your garage or to break into your home without being seen by the neighbors.

A feature of garage door openers that is becoming increasingly popular allows you to control your garage door opener via the internet or your smartphone.  No matter where you are, if you can connect to the internet you can check on the status of your garage door using your smartphone, tablet, or computer and open or close the door remotely.  This feature is not only useful if you forget to close the garage door, but allows you to remotely allow access to your home for trusted service providers such as your plumber, exterminator, and other service providers.  Some garage door openers will even notify you when your garage door opens or if you forgot to close your garage door.

Posted on behalf of Legacy Garage Doors

Why Repairing Your Garage Door Opener Is So Important

You probably don’t think much about your garage door opener.

After all, the garage is not the most romantic part of your home. Therefore, most people don’t pay it much attention to the garage door or its opener as long as they’re properly functioning.  

Nevertheless, if your garage door opener is damaged or malfunctioning, getting it repaired quickly is extremely important.

Safety and Security for Your Family

Your garage door provides your home with an added layer of security.

Therefore, if suddenly, your garage door opener stops working, that extra layer of added security disappears if your garage door won’t close.

In addition, while many people are tempted to solve their “broken garage door opener” problem by simply leaving their garage door open, this can result in theft or wild animals in your garage. Therefore, it’s strongly recommended to have your garage door opener repaired immediately.

Convenient Home Entry

Another reason that it’s important to have your garage door opener repaired is “convenience.”

If you normally access your home (leave and enter it) via your garage, then you’ll really be burdened and inconvenienced when your garage door opener is broken. In addition, even if your garage door opener is simply beginning to malfunction, or it now requires more than a “simple light touch,” you might one day find yourself having to park outside of your garage, and enter your home through another door.

With a repaired, garage door opener, you can go back to your normal routine and enjoy the ease of access to your home through your garage.

If your garage door opener requires repair, contact your local expert today.

Posted on behalf of Legacy Garage Doors