Before you buy a new opener
There are many different types, brands and kinds of garage door openers in the garage door industry, and since purchasing a new garage door opener is something that we should do once, and not deal with it again for the next 10-20 years, it is recommended to invest some more money, and in return to have an opener that is going to open and close the door to our garage whenever we need it to do so.
But most of us don’t really know what kind of opener they need, which brand offer high quality openers, and is it even possible to install an opener in to operate their garage door automatically. In this article we will try and shed some light on the subject, and try to assist you find the right opener for your garage door.
Before you go ahead and contact a garage door supplier, whether it is in Mt Vernon or in Yonkers, please read our recommendations, explanations and tips, so you will purchase something, that with little more knowledge of the subject, you could buy better.
Not every time that it seem to us like it is an opener problem, it is really an opener problem. The way the operator behave is affected by the garage door itself. So if there is a problem operating the door manually, it must be addressed before trying to use the opener to operate the door.
Lift Master Opener
Is it a fresh opener installation?
There is a difference between a new installation, and an opener replacement. When you replace an opener, you remove the old one and install a new motor. But when it is a brain new installation, and there was never an opener before, you first need to make sure that it is even possible to install a new opener.
The first thing you need to check is if there is electricity in the garage at all. Not every garage has electricity, and it is impossible to install a new motor without electricity.
The second thing is the structure and the way the garage is built. There is a certain space which is required to install a garage door opener. And in some cases, the installation may require additional modifications to make the installation passable.
What brand should I buy?
There are many garage door brands in the American market, some of them offer high quality openers, and some offer law quality openers. The thing is that the difference in prices is not as big as the difference between the qualities, and with investment of 10-30 percent more, you can purchase one of the best openers in the world.
If you want to read about the garage door openers brands, you can read the article, which offer general survey of the garage door openers and types. But to make it short, Lift Master openers are considered to be strong and reliable openers, what make them our preferred opener manufacture to work with.
What type of opener is the best for me?
There are three main types of openers, Chain, Belt and screw drive opener. We would like to go over the first two, since we rarely install the screw drive opener, which will be a great choice for a DIY Garage door opener repair.
The chain drive opener from Lift Master is probably our best seller. It is strong, reliable, easy to operate, and can easily last for more than 15 years. But one more important parameter why we love this opener, is its relatively low price, which give you a great return for the investment. That why it is our first choice.
Our second best seller is the Lift Master Belt drive opener. This motor has all the qualities of the chain drive opener, with one more important feature, it is extremely silent. If it is important for you that door to your garage will work silently, you may want to consider purchasing the Belt-Drive opener. It is a little more expensive than the chain drive opener, but in return you will get many years of silently operating garage door.
Do I need safety sensors?
Yes you do! It is required by a federal law, which say that every electric overhead door will include a safety feature like the safety sensors. The safety sensors can save life, and just for that one time when something, or someone will be at the closing door’s path, and the safety sensors will save him, worth to have them.
If you will purchase a new opener by yourself, and not use the services of a trained garage door technician, you should make sure that the kit include safety sensors, which should be installed correctly, so they will be able to do their job and protect objects from being hit by a closing garage door.
Do I need a new opener?
If you are wondering whether to fix the current opener, or to purchase a new one, you are asking the same question many people are asking. The answer to that question depend on the problem, and if it worth repairing, or will it be better to completely replace the motor.
If it is a remote problem, a Key pad problem, a safety sensors problem, push button, lose chain, or any other problem that doesn’t involve the opener itself, we will usually repair it. But if the issue is with the motor itself, such as a broken gear, we may recommend to replace the motor. But again, every case is unique, and a inspecting your opener is required for a professional evaluation.
Do it yourself opener repair
There are 2 types of opener installation: Fresh installation (When there was never an opener installed), and replacement of existing opener. If it is an opener replacement, you can find many garage door tutorials that explain how to install and adjust a new opener by doing it yourself.
If it is a fresh installation, first you need to make sure that it is possible to install a new opener, since sometime just to install the opener will won’t be enough, and the may be some modifications required.
We would like to share a short story about one of our customers who called us after experiencing difficulties installing a new garage door opener. He was trying to install a Genie chain drive opener, and he actually did everything correctly, except one important thing, he did not know that there isn’t enough head room between he’s door and the ceiling, and that some modifications needed to be made. After we installed quick-turn brackets from him, he was able to complete the installation by himself. This is an example of a simple solution that experience and knowledge can solve.
Garage Door Motor
Opener Troubleshooting
If you opener do not open or close the door, it may be due to several reasons. From a problem in the garage door itself, through safety sensors issue, to broken gear, there is no one possibility why the opener stopped working. There are many problems that you can repair by yourself, and there are problems that require a trained technician. We would like to go over some of the common opener issues, and help you with garage door opener troubleshooting.
But before we start, we will repeat what we said before: The door of your garage should work perfectly manually. If the door is not working like that when you use it manually, you should repair the problem/s before connecting the opener to the door.
No matter how annoying the problem may be, NEVER REMOVE THE SAFETY SENSORS. They are there to protect you, or any other person or object in case they will be at the door’s path while it is going sown.