Safe And Convenient Garage Door Opener

2006-09-19 Word Count: 0 Category: Home Improvement

The automatic garage door openers are so convenient and they are standard in most garages today. No rain or snow when you get out of your car to open the garage door.

There are some issues to be aware of concerning the safety and security. For example for young children, some old garage doors can pose a risk. Even if your home is child free, you need to concern yourself with any neighbor kids, even housebreakers! that you could be held liable for if an accident were to occur. The newer models of overhead roll up garage doors feature pinch resistant or anti pinch panels. This feature makes the door safe and fingers will not get injured if stuck in the gap between panels while the door is closing.

When you have decided which type and make of your garage door that suits you, the next step is to choose a garage door opener. You will need a powerful opener if the door is heavy. An opener with at least 3/4 horsepower may be your best option. Also choose a model that uses heavy-duty, industrial-strength chains that will guarantee you years of dependable operation. If your door is of normal weight you can go for a less powerful opener.

Most garage door openers make noises and so does the door itself although some models are specifically designed to be quiet. If you want a more quiet system you need openers with very quiet belt openers. The models have flexible rubber belts that mute vibrations and eliminate the metal-to-metal contact of other chain- or screw-based models. Also more powerful systems usually work easier, smoother and are more silent.

For safety reasons an electronic eye at the base of the door automatically cause the opener to reverses during the close cycle if an object or person breaks the beam. Usually the systems work even when the door sense an excessive load on the closing mechanism, which will automatically reverse the closing or opening.

In the market two types of garage door openers are available namely jackshaft type and trolley type. Even though the jackshaft type occupies less space, the trolley type is more popular. This is because of safety; in the jackshaft type it is difficult to sense when a person or a pet is being crushed under the door.

Some modern systems have auto reverse in case of obstruction like a pet or a vehicle. The remotes generally operate up to a range of 150 feet. Also most systems have keypads that are installed outside the garage and can be used if the remote goes dead.

Many models, actually a lot of them, claim to be virtually maintenance-free. It is usually self-lubricating systems with chains that always run smoothly and make as little noise as possible. More expensive models have a kind of isolation of the motor which gives a quiet and powerful operation.

This free Home Improvement article is brought to you by http://www.articlevista.com