Even if you may not think too much about it, there are some everyday realities regarding garage doors that you should consider when you're interested in making any changes or replacements. The garage door is the main point of access into many people's homes. Whether it's for opening the door to get in an out with your car or simply when you're doing some outdoor work around the house, the door gets lots of use, and the opener is an essential part of it.
As the garage door is often the largest moving object in your home, it's essential to maintain it regularly for the safety of your family. Here are the top reasons to replace your opener.
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Safety Reversal
All garage door openers are required to have a safety reversing mechanism. This is the law, and it has been in place since 1993. With this safety feature, you can be sure the door stops and reverses immediately when a pet or child runs through the sensors when the door is closing. If your opener doesn't have this feature, it is highly recommended to replace it.
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Enhanced Home Security
If your opener is an older model, it may mean that it is low on security features. Older models usually had fixed codes that are quite easy to be stolen with the use of a radio frequency identifier device. To protect your home from burglars, you may want to look into a newer model that comes with advanced features such as rolling codes that cannot be stolen.
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Noise Issues
For those situations where the opener wakes up people in your household or even the neighbors, you may want to look into a model that is quieter. Being a nuisance is never a pleasant feeling, so check the noise levels of the opener and if it seems unusually loud, choose a model that uses quieter belt drives or chains.
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Lack of Outside Keypad
Older openers were operated manually, so you'd have to use a key if you wanted to open the door from outside. Most of the newer models come with a keypad mounted on the outside. You can program it with a unique code that only you family knows for enhanced security and extra convenience.