Knowing When to Replace Your Garage Door Opener
Automatic garage door openers are electrical appliances that typically go unnoticed until they stop working. It’s important to know when your garage door openers need to be replaced as they offer the continued ease and comfort of accessing your home without the hassle of operating your doors manually. How do you know if it’s time to update your garage door openers? See the following list for signs that it may be time to replace your garage door opener system:
1. Your garage door opener is making loud noises
While some garage door openers, such as chain drive openers, are naturally louder than others, you might be noticing unusually loud noises coming from your opener. This may be a sign that your opener is having difficulty opening and closing your garage door. It’s possible that, over time, the mechanisms have weakened – causing the opener to have difficulty operating your garage door. This could be a sign that it’s time to replace your existing opener system.
2. Your garage door immediately reverses when trying to open or close
If your garage door starts opening or closing then immediately reverses its position, there could be a problem with your safety sensors. Your photo eyes, located on the bottom right-hand and left-hand sides of your door, are designed to detect obstructions or movement in order to prevent your garage door from closing on objects or people. If your opener limits are set improperly, it could trigger a false warning to the logic board and cause the safety feature to engage. In older opener systems, these limit settings can shift over time and a replacement motor may be needed.
3. Your garage door is opening or closing slowly
Depending on the age of your garage opener, you may be noticing that it’s just not working as fast as it once did. While sometimes this can be a problem with the garage door itself, automatic openers will wear over time and need to be replaced after their life cycles have come to an end. If you’re stuck waiting around for your opener to do its job every time you operate your garage door, it could be time to update your door opener system.
4. Your opener is vibrating when opening or closing the garage door
Strong vibrations caused by your opener system are a sign that you might need an opener system replacement. Over time, these vibrations can cause the hardware to loosen and could potentially make the entire system fall down. If your opener is vibrating, we suggest investing in a new opener system as soon as possible.
5. Your garage door won’t open at all
If you’re unable to activate your opener from your remote, wireless keypad, or wall button, it may be time to replace your opener system. Various factors could cause your opener to stop working, including lightning strikes or simply repeated use over a prolonged period of time. If you can’t open or close your garage door, you may want to consider replacing your opener system with a brand new unit.
6. You’re using outdated technology
Old garage door openers are missing out on newer features that make openers more reliable and safer to use. Some of the features you may be missing out on include:
- Smart Technology: Features such as WiFi-enabled operation allow to you open and close your garage door remotely, receive alerts if your garage door opens unexpectedly while at work or on vacation, use your phone as a remote, and other luxuries.
- Battery Backup: Newer units offer the option of have a backup battery installed so that if you lose power to your home, you will not be stuck in the garage.
- Rolling Codes: This feature changes your opener’s remote code after every use in order to prevent criminals from using technology to access your home.
- Safety Features: Doors and openers installed before 1993 lack vital safety features such as safety sensors and auto-reverse functionality. If you have not replaced your opener system since you first purchased your home, it may be a great time to invest in a new garage door opener system.
Get a New Garage Door Opener from Top Notch Garage Door
If any of the problems above sound all too familiar or you think it may be time to replace your garage door opener system, give us a call today. We have the most affordable rates in North Georgia and we offer free quotes on new garage door opener installation over the phone.
Call Top Notch Garage Door (770) 235-8189