Automatic Opener - Power Consumption

Concerned about the effects your garage door opener has on global warming? Little need to worry…

Notable amounts of electricity are only consumed while the garage door is in motion - a period which consists of around 10 to 15 seconds. The majority of motors take in a 24 DC current and output as little energy as 100 Watts. Just how much energy are we talking? 100 Watts is less than or equal to your modern home computer.

The rest of the time, the garage door operator remains in a standby state where no significant power is utilized. It should be noted that most modern openers are equipped with efficient energy-saving transformers ensuring that your carbon footprint is minimal.

Security of an Automatic Garage Door

If you’re looking to invest in an Automatic Garage Door, security is probably one of your main concerns.  Thankfully, most manufacturers have all the bases covered.  There are a few checks that you need to perform before you consider a purchase

Remote Control

Ensure that the automatic operator uses rolling-code technology in its remote control handsets.  In a rolling-coded unit, a new random code is generated upon each use - it is utilized while the handset and operator communicate.

This superior security feature prevents your neighbor or any other “Joe” from opening your garage door (or vice versa).  The chance that any two units will use the same sequence are small - I suggest that you stick with the lottery.

Fixed Wall-Controller

A wall-mounted unit is fixed onto an inside wall of the garage providing easy access to open/close the garage door.  While some manufacturers will include this as a feature with their line of operators, others will not.  What is so beneficial about having a wall-mounted controller?

Manufacturers have started packaging their openers with a special “lock” feature.  The feature is inteded for those situations when the home-owner will be on holiday or the house will be vacated for a long period of time.  The lock essentially disables any remote control device  from being able to open the garage door.  Only those individuals who have access to the interior of the garage can open the lock (which should only be the homeowner).  The lock is disabled with a mere press of a button.

Security Light

It’s not only children who are afraid of the dark. It is why manufacturers have started incorporating a light into the operator.

Again, most operators are fitted with a security light, yet I would advise that this as a requirement when shopping for an operator.  The light comes on during an open/close operation and remains on for a couple minutes thereafter before switching off again.

If your operator includes a wall-mounted switch, a button is usually included on the panel to switch on/off the light.  Some handheld, remote controllers have a digital light switch included on the keypad.

Which garage doors are suitable for an automatic opener?

With as many types of doors as there are styles (well, not quite), you are probably wondering which types of door are suitable for automatic garage door operation.

You’re in luck! Most leading manufacturers design and construct new garage doors with automation in mind.  As a result, the 5 leading door types consisting of roller, sectional, retractable, canopy and side-hinged are all able to be automated.

Prices do vary considerably depending on the type of door - side-hinged and roller garage doors are notable examples.

Emergency Garage Door Release

Well you have these great plans to automate a garage door, but you’re worried about the electricity cutting out.  No need to worry, there are two effective solutions to your problem.

1.  The first option is to purchase an opener that provides an “emergency release latch”.  The latch allows you to manually open the garage door by hand.  Thankfully, all of the automatic openers that are sold in the UK are required to provide an emergency release mechanism.  In turn, it should be cheap and included in the price of the opener.

Lifting up a garage door is a trivial action for the majority of us; nonetheless, utilizing the emergency release latch can turn out to be a daunting task for the elderly or the young.  There is an alternative…

2. A battery-operated power backup is a proven and effective solution; although, it does come at a price.  Essentially, the battery backup is powered by the mains when not in use and kicks in automatically when required.  Due to the fact that it is battery operated, it has a limited number of uses before recharging is required - an important note for those prolonged power outages.

Automatic Doors - Chain verses Belt

Due to the decrease in price of the technology, electric garage doors have really seen a rise in popularity. More than 50% of our customers purchase an automatic garage door operator in addition to their new garage door. One of the more popular questions that we are asked by potential customers is, “What is the advantage of chain-drive over belt-drive?”More often than not, we tend to stick with a belt-driven automatic operator since it is the most versatile - ideal for a wide variety of requirements/environments. Nonetheless, we’ll help you decide which is the best for you.

Before we commence, there is not a “best” solution. Both operators have their accompanying advantages/disadvantages.

Belt-Driven Operators:

Advantages:

• Belt-driven operators are very quite. This is often necessary for living rooms which are adjacent to the garage or above the garage.
• Hardly any maintenance is required on a belt-driven operator. They tend to take care of themselves or so it seems.

Disadvantages:

• Many argue that belt-driven operators aren’t as durable as their counterparts, but we would argue otherwise. The belts located in these units tend to feature a rubber belt which is as tough as a steel-belted tyre.

Chain-Driven Operators:

Advantages:

• Chain drive operators are more durable offering the potential to lift a larger overall weight. This is only important for large/heavy doors - often wooden doors.

Disadvantages:

• Unfortunately, chain driven operators tend to be considerably noisy because the chain clatters against the guide-rail. A squeaky, oil-lacking chain also tends to cause a bit of noise.
• Additional maintenance is required over a belt-drive operator. For example, it is imperative that the chain is oiled every now and then to ensure proper operation. On the other hand, oily chains tend to accumulate unnecessary dust and grit which can hinder the operator’s smooth operation.

Probably, your most important concern is the price. Fortunately, the difference is negligible. A few years ago chain-drive was considerably cheaper, but that has all changed.

In closing, there is not a clear-cut winner…