Features to Prioritize in a New Garage Door Opener

Recently in this space, we discussed the various types of openers you might be considering for a new garage door installation. The average garage door is opened and closed over a thousand times per year, making the opener you utilize a very important decision, and you have several robust options at your disposal depending on a few different factors.

At Price’s Guaranteed Doors, we’re happy to offer a huge range of residential and commercial garage door services, including comprehensive installation services for a new garage door – but also including assistance with your garage door opener and all its relevant variables. While we’ve already discussed the options you have available if you’re installing a new garage door and door opener, today we’ll dig into some of the specific factors that should be playing into your decision here, from overall features to important safety components you want to be aware of.

features new garage door opener

Horsepower

One of the first elements you’ll want to consider when selecting your garage door opener is the horsepower required, which will be largely defined by the size and weight of the actual door. Horsepower refers to how much power the opener provides and therefore how much force is behind the opening and closing of the door.

Generally, there are a few different horsepower designations for modern garage door openers:

  • 1/3 HP: For single-car garage doors, the 1/3 HP setup is often used. However, for those who can afford the upfront costs, upgrading to a higher-horsepower door will put less strain on the opener and may increase its lifespan.
  • 1/2 HP: For most residential doors, such as dual-vehicle or sectional garage doors, the 1/2 HP option will allow for reliable power.
  • 3/4 through 1 1/2 HP: These larger horsepower designations are generally used for larger homes that have high-tech garage door openers, or on commercial buildings that have especially heavy doors.

If you have questions about horsepower or current type your door will run on, speak to our pros.

Other Opener Features

Garage door openers have numerous distinct features and components that should play a role in your choice of opener, including each of the following:

  • Remote vs manual release: Modern garage door openers virtually all come with a remote control that allows them to be activated remotely. They can be opened by wall-mount options, plus have handheld remotes that allow for opening from a vehicle. However, there also might be times where you need to be able to raise and lower the garage door manually – for these situations, the manual release feature is in place to disengage the door from its remote. This feature is useful for those who work in the garage and may require partial door opening for ventilation, for instance.
  • Rail segments: Another feature of a door opener is rail segments, which are attached between the door and ceiling and allow the door to move up and down. Most rail segments for today’s openers are seven feet tall, but you may have other options depending on the layout of the garage.
  • Wi-Fi: Many of the newest garage door opener systems today allow for Wi-Fi connection, which only increases control and convenience with regard to the garage door. This feature allows you to control the door from anywhere using your smartphone – if you forget to close it when leaving on a trip, for instance, there’s nothing to worry about. If you want this feature, you’ll be looking for a newer garage door opener model.
  • Auto-close: This is a function that allows you to pre-program the opener to close at a certain time, or even at a certain time after it was opened. For instance, you can set it to lower five minutes after you open it, ensuring you don’t forget to close the door when you come home after a day of work.
  • Battery backup: When utilizing any electrical device, including a garage door opener, it’s important to think about a battery backup in case of a power surge or electrical outage. This will allow you to complete opening and closing needs even without power.
  • Motor type: You’ll also want to think about which sort of motor is used for your garage door opener, a factor that plays a big role in the wear-and-tear it experiences. For those who are able, installation of what’s known as a soft motor is ideal – this motor activates with less noise and vibration, and will often help the garage door and its components last longer as a result.

Safety and Security Features

In addition to general features, it’s vital to consider safety and security features for any garage door opener, including:

  • Motion sensors: A vital component of the opener system is motion sensors that sit in the area where the door opens and closes. These motion sensors stop the door from closing if there are objects underneath it, from cars or other items all the way through pets, kids and other major risks. You should never purchase a garage door opener setup that does not come with motion sensors.
  • Locks: It’s also vital to ensure your opener has a locking feature. This is to protect you from situations where you’ve lost a remote garage door opener from your car, or similar cases where an opener has been misplaced – or worse yet, stolen. With a locking feature, you can disable a remote if it’s been lost and prevent it being used to enter your home.
  • Code technology: For those concerned about security, you can now program many garage door openers with rolling codes, which change every few seconds – making it virtually impossible for someone to hack your fob and get access to your garage.
  • Vacation settings: We all want to be sure of our home’s security while on vacation, and modern door openers offer this feature as well. They have settings that ensure for full locking of the garage door, making it impossible for the door to be raised manually by anyone trying to get in.

For more on garage door openers and the qualities to prioritize in them, or to learn about any of our garage door installation or other services, speak to the staff at Price’s Guaranteed Doors today.