Smart technology for garage door openers has changed the game. Not only in convenience, as you can now control your garage door from anywhere, but also in security and energy efficiency, as it streamlines operations. Even if you currently have an automatic garage door opener, consider a newer, smart model. There are several good justifications for this not-so-expensive expense:
1. Ease of Use
There’s nothing wrong with a good remote-and-keypad situation, but it’s not exactly ideal. Maybe the remote batteries run out or the remote itself gets lost between the seats. Now we’re crawling out of our car in the middle of a thunderstorm to punch the code into the keypad. And the keypad’s not infallible either. Standard ones operate on a frequency that is easy for thieves to hack with some simple equipment.
Garage door openers equipped with remote technology offer you constant access to your garage door’s operations from wherever you are, so long as you have your smartphone in hand. Which is also nice for all those times you leave the house and then wonder if you closed the garage door. No more!
2. Better Security
We know there’s that vulnerability with the older model keypads, but smart garage door openers have other security features as well. You can monitor your garage door’s use remotely and even set up delivery access when you’re getting a package you won’t be home to receive.
As well, these door openers can be integrated with various home security systems, which means no extra, mismatched system or hard-to-access programming. Add a couple wi-fi cameras on the garage door and the pedestrian door to round out your beefed-up garage security.
3. Battery Backup
A huge plus to a new garage door opener is the battery backup unit. Sure, it’s not smart tech, technically, but it kind of is, because you’re being smart for being prepared. California passed a mandate in 2019 requiring garage door battery backups. It requires that:
- All new garage door opener installations must include a battery backup.
- All new garage door installations must include a garage door opener with a battery backup.
- No garage door openers without battery backups are to be sold in the state.
This bill was a result of the awful wildfires of 2018, where some of the death toll was directly due to people not being able to get themselves and/or their car(s) out of their garages during power outages in emergency evacuations.
On a less intense level, having an opener with a battery pack means in regular power outages, you won’t be stuck with an inoperable garage door. Standard power backups for garage doors provide up 24 hours of use, and only need replaced every 2 years, which is a simple do-it-yourself task.
4. Energy Efficiency
Smart garage door openers streamline operations, especially on models with smoother belt drives. Choosing a high-speed, high-cycle garage door and pairing it with a smart garage door opener can minimize time to open and time to close. The less time the garage door is in operation, the less energy lost with respect to your home’s climate control.
5. Less Noise
There’s one thing you can be sure of when you upgrade your garage door opener: your home will be a quieter place. Belt drives help, yeah, but the opener unit itself is also much quieter. This is ideal for homes where living or sleeping spaces bump up against the garage, or homes with people who work 2nd or 3rd shifts and are up and down at all hours.
Another advantage of quieter operation is that when the garage door does start to make a weird sound, you’ll hear it. And everyone knows that the earlier you can catch a potential problem, the less the cost to repair the garage door.
6. Longer Lifespan
A smart garage door opener can increase the lifespan of your garage door with all these safety and security features. There’s no manually jerking the door open and closed during power outages. There’s protection from thieves and vandals via monitoring. There’s the ability to close it when a storm’s on the horizon but you’re away from home. Overall, switching out your current garage door opener for a smart unit that includes a backup battery has zero downsides.
While smart garage door openers are overtaking the market, they’re not super-new. And that means they’re also no longer super-expensive! You can find a smart garage door opener for a typical 2-car garage door for $150. Or you can go all out and end up spending closer to $500 – you do you. While you’re at it, consider some affordable modular home security cameras and features for your smart garage, like Wyze, Blink or Google Nest.
Have any questions, or want more information on the best smart garage door opener models and battery backup kits? Give us a call; we’re here to help.