You love the new home that you just bought. It has plenty of room, you love the way it looks, and it’s finally a place to call your own. One of the best features is the garage. It has a nice electric garage door opener, too, making it easy to get into and out of the garage.
Here is a beautiful 2-door garage! Do you want to replace your garage doors? Are you hoping to get a traditional look like these beautiful garage doors? These are the Classic CC design, in 1-car size. They are shown in Ice White color and with 4 lite Orion windows.
Perhaps you have been in your house for some time already, but you were never able to use the garage because of all the clutter you had piled up in there. Now that you have finally gotten around to checking out Tidying Up with Marie Kondo on Netflix, you’ve stepped up and used the KonMari Method to get your garage in order. Now, you can finally use your garage for other purposes, such as parking your vehicles.
HOLD UP!
What if you haven’t used that electric garage door opener in a year or two? What if you have a used garage door opener in a house you bought? You’re going to want to check out the blog could ensure your opener lasts and that you and your family are safe while using it.
Step 1 > When was the Opener Manufactured?
The image above will show you the sticker locations, so you can find the information you need.
Each garage door opener will have a sticker on it that contains a wealth of information. This will include the serial number and the model number. If you need to talk with a garage door specialist, having this information will be helpful.
When you check the manufacturing date, you will know the year your garage door opener was made.
What if you have a Chamberlain opener, but it’s not a LiftMaster? You can use this FAQ to learn more.
What If Your Garage Door Opener Was Made Before 1993?
Garage door openers that are this old should be replaced, not repaired or maintained. They are old. Very old. It’s time that you got a new garage door opener. Those old models are not safe.
What is Special About 1993?
It was only in 1993 that openers manufactured in the United States and Canada were required to use two reversal systems meant for safety.
● The first system is mechanical. When a garage door is being lowered, if it hits an object, the motor will detect the resistance from closing, and the door will reverse.
● The second system is photoelectric. This has 2 units that are installed across from one another about six inches from the floor on both sides of the door. One of the units will shoot out a beam of infrared light, which the other unit receives. If something breaks that beam, such as a pet or a child, the opener detects it. This causes the opener’s motor to stop and reverse.
If you still aren’t sure you need to get an upgrade, you’ll want to read more about photocell safety beams. You’ll also want to check out this urban legend about planes opening garage doors, which has an ending that might be surprising.
Let’s say that you have a newer garage door opener. Does this mean that it is safe and you just need some maintenance? Not necessarily. 2012 is another important year to consider.
Chamberlain started adding Security+2.0 in 2012, which features rolling code technology.
Chamberlain and LiftMaster became aware that some shady folks were cruising around communities and trying out various garage door remotes on all of the garage doors they could find. They wanted to find doors that would open, which would make it easier for them to get into the home and burglarize it.
The rolling code technology prevents this from happening. It will create a new security code each time the remote control is used on the door opener. This helps to reduce your chance of becoming a victim.
To ensure you have this technology, you should look for the Security+2.0 label like the one above. You can find them on Chamberlain, LiftMaster, or Craftsman garage door openers.
Each time the remote control is used on the garage door opener, the remote control’s code rolls on to a different code for the next time. There are more than 100 billion possible codes. The last code will be tossed, and the opener will only open with the new code that was applied to it. The same codes will never be used again for your garage door, so you don’t have to worry about thieves stealing a code and hoping it works for them later.
With a better understanding of the types of features your garage door opener needs, you can then start checking the system that you have to see how it works.
Step 2 > Put Your Garage Door Opener Reverse System Through a Test
● On the garage door’s threshold, place a 2x4 board flat on the floor.
● Use your remote to close the door.
● When the door touches the board, it should go back up. If it doesn’t, it means that the safety system is not working correctly, which could be very dangerous. You need to contact your local garage door and opener specialist to have them check it out.
Step 3 > Check the Photoelectric Safety Reverse System for the Garage Door Opener
What should the system include: There will be two “photo eyes” on the door. These will be installed on each side of your door. They should only be about six inches up from the floor.
Checking the Photoelectric Safety Reverse Feature
● When the invisible beam between the eyes is broken, your door should stop and then reverse.
● To test this, you will put something under the door to break the beam when the door is lowering. Use something such as an empty cardboard box, for example. This way, if it doesn’t work correctly and the box ends up getting squashed, you are only out a cardboard box and not something important.
● Try to close the door when the beam is broken. If the system is working properly, the door should not activate.
Step 4 > Examine the Garage Door Opener Wall Control Panel
Where have you placed the wall control panel? Was it already installed by a previous owner? Typically, it will be near an access door that leads into the home, or it could be right by the garage door. It should be about 5’from the floor.
● Examine the wall panel to see whether the LIGHT button is working
● You should also make sure that the buttons for opening and closing the door are working correctly.
Step 5 > Determine If the Remotes & Keypad Work Properly
● You might need to check and replace the batteries if you haven’t used the remote or the keypad in a long time.
● You can check the LED light that comes on when you press a button to see whether the batteries are working or not. If the LED doesn’t light up, or if the buttons don’t activate the door, your batteries may have to be replaced.
● What if you replaced the batteries and still have no luck? There’s a chance that you might need to reprogram it. Learn how to program many LiftMaster accessories here.
● Now, if reprogramming doesn’t work and the batteries weren’t to blame, you might need to get a new control. Perhaps you just need to have an extra remote for the garage for a teen that’s started to drive. You can find out more about remote controls, 3-button mini remotes, and universal remote compatibility.
● Is the antenna in good shape? There should be an antenna on the bottom of the opener. If it’s bent up or has been cut, the range of the remote could be affected. You might need to get a new one.
Step 6 > Are the Emergency Release Rope & Handle in Good Shape?
If you have an opener from the past decade or so, there should be a rope that hangs near the reel that runs from the door to the opener.
This is a manual release handle and rope. It should be near the garage door when the door is closed. You want to make sure it’s in good shape.
Check the Garage Door Opener Rope:
● All you need to do is pull the emergency release cord.
The trolley connects to your garage door opener motor and your garage door. It will move when the door is opened and closed electrically. When you pull on the emergency cord, it should disable the trolley operator, which typically moves the garage door.
● Find the lifting handle and… lift it.
The lifting handle is often found on the bottom panel, but it might be one panel up. When you open the door, using the handle, it should be easy as long as the door is well-balanced. You should be able to lift your garage door using just one hand.
What happens if the door feels too heavy? It means something is wrong, and you should stop lifting.
Close the door carefully and make sure that no one uses it until you can get someone out there to check it and repair it, or so it can undergo maintenance.
Garage door springs can be dangerous. They are under a lot of tension. If one breaks, it could cause serious injuries.
The springs are what does the heavy lifting when a garage door is opened.
Step 7 > Garage Door Opener Trolley and Rail Maintenance
There is some basic maintenance that you can do for parts of your door system.
This maintenance can help keep your garage door in good shape.
Here, a professional is checking to ensure the trolley slides properly on the rail.
● Check to see that the opener trolley slides on the opener rail properly.
● Remove debris and dust from the opener rail using a clean, dry cloth.
● You can use a petroleum-based lubricant to lube the opener rail.
● While cleaning and maintaining the trolley, you can also do the same for your hinges, tracks, and springs to keep them in good shape.
That’s all it takes to check the garage door opener. You should do this maintenance and these tests about every six months, to ensure your garage door opener is not a safety hazard.
Get Some Help from the Pros?
Do you love the look of these garage doors? This is the garage door Prestige XL design, which looks lovely. You can see it shown at 9'x8' with Moka Brown color and Cachet windows.
Get in touch at 1-800-479-7172.
Our professionals can help you with the maintenance, repair or installation of garage doors and openers. We have the experience needed to get the door in shape.
Maybe you need a garage door opener or a new garage door?
Mortland Door Systems is standing by and ready to help. Talk with us and answer a few questions, so we can get a better idea of your expectations and budget. We will find something that works for you.
Already have something in mind? Get a quotation by email.
Want some ideas? Check out the residential photo gallery. You can even use the Design Centre to get a sense of what a garage door would look like on your home.
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