It’s pretty safe to say that Garage Doors are not a common hot topic that many people talk about. It’s not something that we look up information for because honestly, it’s not as interesting as a computer or the latest flat-screen. With purchases like those, the average consumer will spend countless hours looking at specs and pictures. When it comes to a Garage Door, we might spend 5 minutes looking in a phone book in search of an expert or we go to a home improvement store to find an employee.

This is how this blog entry has come to be. The information below is to let you know a little bit more about garage doors, however it is always good to have an expert that can help you. This is a summary compared to the amount of knowledge that an industry professional could provide. An expert that comes out to your house to repair or install a door, should be able to tell you what works and what doesn’t.

Drive System
There are four types of drive system that you can get. Screw Drive is probably the most popular. There are fewer moving parts with this type of system and they don’t require as much maintenance. Another option is the Chain Drive opener. Newer designs have eliminated the old problem of chains popping off. These are still commonly being used because they tend to be cheapest. Belt Drive openers are identical to chain-drive openers except that they use a rubber belt. They are also the quietest type of garage door opener, and often cost a bit more. Lastly, there is at least one manufacturer that has a Computer-controlled Drive. This device doesn’t sit in the middle of the garage, rather it sits on top of the door itself. This saves you a lot of space and it uses no chain or screw.

Door Opening Speed
If you can’t stand waiting for the average garage door to open (at about 6 inches per second), consider getting a high-end opener that operates at a faster speed. This will reduce the time that you have to wait for the door to open as the speeds usually are doubled if not more. However, for safety reasons, the faster models will still close at slower speeds so that accidents are avoided.

Power of the Door
You should always choose a motor with enough power to lift your door, this will help your motor last longer. Think of it this way: there are two kids pulling the same-sized wagons up a hill. One kid is 3 years of age and the other kid is 6 (both are average in size and health for their age), of those two which do you think would have an easier time pulling the wagon? Most likely you picked the older child because that would be the stronger of the two. The same logic applies to your garage door. If you have a double door, look for at least half hp. But even with smaller and lighter doors, if you don’t know what to get for power, going with more power doesn’t hurt.

Safety: Contact Reversing System
Since 1993, it is now a standard to have this important safety feature. Be sure to check the adjustment of this safety feature often, either that or have a professional take a look at it; do this especially if you have kids or pets. If it loses sensitivity, then it is more likely that an item or even worse, a child, could be crushed.

Safety: Transmitter Security Codes
An opener that is equipped with a remote control that has rolling code technology offers the highest degree of security.

Wireless Keypad
This keypad mounts outside of your house and allows for a person to operate the door if they know the security code.

Ceiling Headroom
There are certain models that will not fit your garage space. If you have low head room, you shouldn’t modify an opener that is bulky to fit that space. Modifications can void warranties and can be dangerous.

Lighting
The light that comes with your system is a security light. It allows you to see when it’s dark and most give you enough time to get into your home before turning off. Make sure the light is powerful enough to light up your entire garage.

Warranty
Like any product, you should pay attention to warranties. Would you rather buy a new TV with 3 months of warranty or 3 years of warranty? Generally, we look at warranties for many expensive items that we buy, but with Garage door openers, many people overlook this aspect. Some openers come with a full lifetime warranty, so pay attention to this.

Installation
There are many openers that are not DIY (do-it-yourself) friendly. If you do try to install it yourself, understand that you risk voiding the warranty if you damage the product by modifying it to fit your garage. It’s dangerous if you don’t know what you’re doing, so consider hiring a company to do this for you. By going with a professional, they deal with the troubles of product failure and they usually provide a warranty on their services.