8 Amazing Functions You Didn’t Know Your Garage Door Opener Could Offer

Today’s world is filled with technology. Homes are Wi-Fi connected and our belongings offer smart features that make life more convenient. This is even evidenced by modern garage door openers, like the LiftMaster from Chamberlain. That’s right, even your door opener could be filled with tech!

Several years ago, LiftMaster became known as one of the first garage door openers that could connect to Wi-Fi. Since then, almost all of these openers make use of MyQ technology, which allows you to use your tablet or smartphone to operate and monitor your garage door from any location.

Yep! We aren’t kidding. You can now access and open your garage door no matter where you are as long as you have access to the Internet. Crazy, right?

If you think that’s impressive, wait until you find out what else is possible using a LiftMaster 85503. This garage door opener includes:

• Total control using a tablet or smartphone
• The ability to see everything using a built-in camera
• Impressive two-way audio communication
• Built-in Wi-Fi

A real-time view of your garage

The camera, which comes standard in the opener, comes with:

• Detection of motion
• Vision in the dark
• 360-degree manual rotation
• Live streaming in 1080p HD

What does that offer you and the family?

This opener lets you see if people are coming in and out of the garage. You can make sure the kids make it home from activities. You can watch the neighbor borrow your tools. Watch while the plumber comes in to fix the pipes. You never have to guess who has been in the garage.

When someone steps in the garage door, here’s what you see from a distance.

Anyone who has access to the space is visible on your phone.

This happens in real-time as soon as the door opener is activated.

Providing Access to Your Home’s Garage

Curious how you let someone into the garage using the MyQ app and the LiftMaster?

1. For a one-time visitor like a neighbor:

• Tell the person to shoot you a text when they reach your home and want to step into the garage.
• Use the app to let them in.
• View them entering with any needed tools or belongings.
• Use your smartphone to close the garage door for security.
• Do the same thing when people need to leave the home.

Not sitting around with access to your phone at all times? Do you have times when you need to offer access but don’t have a phone to use the app?

2. Utilize the MyQ app in advance to provide easy access:

Three different methods are available to provide access!

1. Set up recurring weekly access for a person who visits every week at the same time.
2. Provide temporary access for a worker who needs to come over once. Choose the time and day and set up access.
3. Offer constant access for someone you trust.

Take a look at the pictures below to see how easy it is to offer access.

How does it look on your smartphone? The LiftMaster MyQ app first gives you an option to add a relationship with the user. Next, choose recurring, temporary, or always access.

What about selecting recurring or temporary access? It’s simple and straightforward. Choose a day or number of days and select when to offer access and when to revoke it. If you have smart garage door openers on several doors, select which one offers access.

The guest user will first get an email invitation which lets them download the app and create a personal account. You can see what is happening from home.

With this MyQ feature, any homeowner can set up notifications to determine what up to five users are doing on their own devices. All information is also added to the event history.

KEEP IN MIND – Guests cannot see or alter the following:

• The history of events
• The feed from the camera
• Any of the functions for configuration
• Gate openers or commercial operators

Need more assistance? Read these examples to understand what this door opener offers you.

• Let’s say that you have a neighborhood boy come over to feed the cats on weekends from noon to 1 pm. You know when he shows up and leaves from your history. This ensures that your cat has been fed and you have nothing to worry about.
• Maybe you have a house cleaner who comes over every Wednesday. Set up this person with recurring access and you can see when they show up and when they leave the home.
• You bought a new refrigerator and it’s supposed to be dropped off on Friday from four to five pm. You don’t even need to be home to receive the appliance. Provide access for an hour or two and the person delivering the item will come in and you’ll get a record of it in your event history and can see how long they were inside.

Technology is amazing, isn’t it? Who would have guessed a garage door opener could offer all these features?

We want to share something else you would NEVER expect!

Not only can you see people coming into the garage – but you can also talk to them and hear them speak back! In real-time!

When you own a LiftMaster 85503, you get audio that includes:

• Live back and forth communication
• Fully adjustable levels of volume
• The ability to disable and enable the microphone

What this comes down to is that you set up the app and you can get alerts when someone comes into your garage. Then you can choose to have a conversation with them, even if you are nowhere near home.

Maybe Rachel comes into the garage, you get a notification, and you say,

"Nice to see you, Rachel."

Then you can move on to giving information to her about special tasks if she is a house cleaner.

Or maybe Rachel is your mother who is watching the kids until you make it home and you want to give her a message of love. The sky is the limit!

Security Matters: Protect Your Home and Family

With the LiftMaster 85503, you get the most state-of-the-art door opener based on connectivity and technology. But you also receive some amazing safety features:

• All About Battery Backup. With battery backup, the garage door can be closed or opened from anywhere even if there is a power outage. You won’t end up with your car locked up in the garage during an emergency.
• Electronic Protection Against a Forced Opening. If a criminal tries to get in through the garage using a crowbar, this door opener knows what is happening and will prevent it!
• New Codes Every Single Click. Unlike older door openers, this one uses SECURITY+ 2.0. If someone is using a remote to try to get into random garages, your door will keep you fully protected.
• Lights and Sounds with Alert-2-Close. Not sure why this matters? When using a tablet or phone to close the door, other people in the area will get alerted that the door is going to close.

• Safety Sensors. Known as photo-cell safety beams, these are a feature that prevents the door from closing when someone or something is in the way.

  
• Motion-Detection Lighting. Make sure you never have to step into the space and try to find the light switch.

Innovative Options When Using Your Smartphone and the LiftMaster 85503.

Some of these things we’ve mentioned, but we want to make sure you are aware.

1. Ability to close and open the garage door using a device from any location.
2. Option to provide access to users without the need to hand off keys, give out passwords, or be home.
3. Check out what’s happening at any time in the garage.
4. Speak and hear other people in the garage to share info and answer questions.

But that’s not all! Here are some other great things possible with the LiftMaster 85503 smart garage door opener.

5. Change the alerts. What time do you want notifications? Who do you want them from? You get to make those decisions!
6. Access the status of the garage door. Did you rush out of the garage because you were almost late to work? If you’re busy but worrying that you might have left the door open, check the app. You can easily see the status of the garage door and even close the door from the office if needed. There’s no more need to stress!
7. Order online and get in-garage deliveries. Weather can change on a dime and stealing packages is a thing, which means that the option to have deliveries into your garage can give you better peace of mind.
8. View past activity whether you have a 30 or seven-day storage option. Keep up to date on what has happened recently.

Have you decided you need a modern garage door opener?

When was your door opener installed? Do you know? If it was before 1993, this is before making safety sensors required. Garage door openers that are older also are easier to open with remotes. Keep in mind that 9% of burglars enter the home through the garage door. Changing your garage door opener could be the best thing you’ve done recently.

Not certain you want a built-in camera with your garage door opener? Prefer something a little smaller but still modern and useful?

There’s nothing wrong with that and you’ll find tons of door opener models that meet your needs.

Are you overwhelmed by the options? Not sure what all the terminology means? You’re not alone. You can find out more about what jackshafts, belts, and other parts do for you using this helpful Infographic.

Whether you want something impressive or simple, you can talk to us about it at 207-784-0622.

Our priority at International Door Corp is to offer the best garage door openers on the market. We’re also knowledgeable and passionate about our jobs. We’d love to offer you advice and answer questions about different door openers while keeping in mind your budget and needs.

If you also want to get a new garage door, we can help with that, too. Use our 3 styles to get an idea of which option is right for you. Turn on your creativity and choose the perfect garage door using our Design Centre or go through our many photos.