Garage door openers are an unbeatable addition to a home, protecting vehicles from inclement weather, theft, or damage, and boosting your home’s property value. But as useful as these features are, they’re often overlooked until they encounter problems. To prepare yourself for eventualities and to get the most out of a reliable garage door opener, have a look at the guide below.

How Do Garage Door Openers Work?

There are two types of garage door openers available for homeowners: central and jackshaft. Central door openers are the most common, relying on a powered chain, belt, or threaded screw to pull the door along the tracks and into the ceiling when opening or closing.

Of these, chain drives are the noisiest, but the least expensive, making them a popular option for budget-minded homeowners. Belt- and screw-driven central openers are usually quieter since they have fewer moving parts, and consequently more expensive during initial installation but less costly in long-term maintenance.

However, many garages are higher than the standard ceiling height of 8 feet. For these, central openers don’t offer sufficient force to move the garage door up and down reliably. Jackshaft door openers are the perfect solution.

Mounted on the side of the door rather than in an overhead ceiling unit, these rotate a torsion bar on top of the door to draw it along rails. These openers can be used with doors of any dimension and are quieter than more traditional openers.

Are Garage Door Openers Vulnerable to Tampering?

Security for garage door openers is a common concern among homeowners. Early openers relied on simple security codes that were theoretically vulnerable to pirating, but coding advances in recent years have all but eliminated this risk.

Instead, garage door openers now use a rotating coding system that generates a new signal every few seconds out of billions of possible combinations, each one geared to work only with the fob in your possession.

Many modern openers also incorporate Wi-Fi signals for easy operation with wireless devices, locking mechanisms to prevent the use of lost fobs, and vacation settings to ensure the door remains in place during extended absences. Garage door openers are more secure than ever as a result of significant efforts placed into making them virtually invulnerable to all but homeowners.

 

If you’re looking to upgrade or install a garage door opener with the help of a seasoned professional, turn to Tracey Door Co. With more than 30 years of experience, these garage door experts are proud to offer Rochester, NY, residents and businesses an extensive selection of installation, maintenance, and repair services for garage doors and garage door components. Call (585) 426-6060 to schedule a consultation or visit them online to learn more about their services and products.