Nothing is much worse than having to get out of your car in the pouring cold rain, to open your garage door. Garage door openers are reasonably affordable, and a must have for anyone who parks their car in the garage on a regular basis!
When choosing a garage door opener, be sure to consider the following factors:
Choose a motor with power adequate to lift your door. If you have a double door, look for at least ½ hp. Even on a single door, a larger motor is likely to last longer. Also look for a unit that advertises a "soft" starting and stopping system, which operates more quietly and with less wear and tear on the door.
Higher-end garage door openers operate quickly, reducing the time you have to wait in the driveway.
For safety reasons, the faster-opening models still close at a standard, slower speed. Federal law requires all garage door openers include features that stop the doors from crushing objects in their paths and cause the doors to reverse direction if they strike something. In most cases, this is controlled by an electronic beam that, when broken by a person or object, triggers the safety mechanism. This ensure no children or pets get crushed!
All models include a manual release that will allow you to open the door if the power is out. Some higher-end models include a function that opens the door just a little bit so the family pet can get out.
Most garage door openers include a security light that comes on as you activate the system and stays on long enough for you to get out of the car and go into the house.
