Most people never really stop to think about their garage door opener. It is the type of device that countless people have in their homes, but that they take for granted. You know that when you leave in the morning or when you come home at night, your door is going to open and close with a click of a button. However, that is not always the case. Sometimes things are going to go wrong with the system. It is a good idea to understand how it works, what you should do when something goes wrong.
The following is some basic information about the door opener, which can help to give you some better insight into what is happening when you are using it.
Types of Door Openers
One of the first things that you want to realize is that there is more than one type of door opener, contrary to popular belief. The most common option used in North America is central This means that they are using a trolley that pulls the door. This trolley uses a motor to lift the door, and it is installed on the ceiling at the door’s center.
Over the past several years though, the ceilings in garages have become higher and higher, and the central openers were not a great option. Therefore, Jackshaft opener, which are installed on the side of the garage door, are becoming quite popular. This is especially true for those who have cathedral style ceilings in their garage.
How Does the Remote Control Operate the Door?
The remote control system that you use for the garage door in your home makes it very convenient to open and close the door. You don’t have to get outside when the weather is bad, or late at night. The system’s remote is a radio transmitter and there is a receiver that is built into the opener. The remote will send out the signal on one of three frequencies, which are picked up by the receiver. This lets the opener know that it is time to open or close the garage door.
Can People Pirate the Signal?
One of the fears that some people have when it comes to using these types of door openers is whether it is possible for other people to open their garage door without permission. Some even wonder if it is possible for a plane passing over their house to open their garage door. Fortunately, the plane problem is just a myth and it does not really happen.
For those who have garage door openers that were manufactured before 1993, it was created using DIP switches with +, 0, and – positions. There were up to eight positioning clips in them, and they could be changed. It was possible, although highly unlikely, that a person could use them to open up your garage door.
Since 2013, the Chamberlain company, which includes Craftsman and LiftMaster have being using SECURITY+ systems. These allow for a billion potential codes, and whenever a code is used, it changes the next time that the door is used. This can drastically improve security. It was the same year that they started to use the MyQ system. This is what makes it possible to open and close the garage door from anywhere, as long as you have your mobile phone, a laptop, or a tablet. It was in 2017 that they added a WiFi feature to some openers.
The security today is better than it has ever been for garage doors and openers. Those who are on the fence about them because of security reasons have nothing to worry about.
Door Opener Drives
There are several types of drives used for door openers today. The least common is the screw drive, followed by the rubber belt drive, which is reinforced with steel. This belt is similar to those that are use for making tires for a vehicle. The drive that is the most common, however, is the chain drive.
Strength of the Motor
The alternating current, or AC door openers that are in use today are going to be one of two strengths. You will find either the ½ horsepower motors or the ¾ horsepower motors in use. There are direct current, or DC, motors in use, as well. These types of motors have variable speed, meaning that they start out slowly and then will increase their speed. They will also slow before they stop. The AC motors are measured in horsepower, whereas the DC motors are measured or rated in Newtons.
Door openers are meant to lift up to 225lbs. It is important to note that their calibration means that they are also capable of pushing down with the same amount of weight and force, which is why they have the potential to be dangerous. It is essential that the garage door is well balanced. This means that the “dead weight” of the door is only going to be between eight and 10lbs, which means it would be possible to open the door with just a single hand.
Reverse Systems Need to Be Working
There are two automatic reversal systems that are required to be in the garages of properties in North America and have been since 1993. One of the systems is mechanical, which means that when the opener senses any type of resistance under the door, it will stop and go back up automatically. The other type utilizes photo eyes. These are two units, one located at each side of the door about four to six inches above the ground. They have a beam of light that connects the two, and if something crosses that beam of light, it means that the garage door is going to automatically reverse.
Find Out More
Contact us if you want to learn more by calling toll free at 1-800-244-9253. Our team has a deep understanding of garage doors and openers and can help you find a great system for your budget. We can even provide an email quotation.
You could also stop by the showroom, check out the design center, and the examples in our image gallery.
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