Garage door openers are the unsung heroes of every garage door upgrade. After all of the decisions about color, design and material, choosing a garage door opener sets your new garage door into motion. With a reliable opener, your garage door will be ready to go any time you need it.
Automatic garage door openers come in a variety of styles, brands and horsepower (HP) ratings. No matter your garage door type or weight, there is an option to fit your needs.
Jump to:
- How to Match Garage Door Openers to Garage Height
- Safety Features for Garage Openers
- Advancements in Garage Door Openers
- When to Replace Your Opener
- Garage Door Opener Installation Process
- Belt vs Chain Garage Door Openers
- What Horsepower Do You Need for a Garage Door Opener?
Garage Door Openers in Houston
Today’s modern garages deserve a high-tech garage door opener. When it comes to finding the best residential garage door opener in the Houston area, the answer is easy. Halo Overhead Doors has a tremendous selection of top-brand garage door openers to go with our high-quality overhead doors. We have the biggest names, so whether you’re looking for a LiftMaster® garage door opener or a Genie® garage door opener, we have the right unit for you.
5 Things You Need to Know About Garage Door Openers
Odds are you don’t spend much time thinking about your garage door opener. And unless you’ve shopped for garage door openers before, you may feel uncertain about where to begin. Here are a few details to consider before you begin your shopping process.
1. How to Match Garage Door Openers to Garage Height
The height of an average garage from the floor to the top of the garage door opening is around 7 feet. Accordingly, most garage door openers are built to match a 7-foot garage ceiling. If your garage height is 8 feet or higher, you may need to purchase an extension kit alongside your opener.
Before you look at different opener options, grab a ladder and measure your garage door height. This will help streamline and narrow down options that will work with your garage layout.
2. Safety Features for Garage Door Openers
Garage door openers have a variety of built-in options to increase your garage door’s safety. Common features you might see include:
- Automatic reversal: Garage door openers are manufactured to reverse automatically if the garage door encounters an obstruction. This mechanism helps prevent garage doors from closing onto objects or individuals.
- Electric eye: Similar to automatic reversal, electric eyes use sensors to detect objects that are in a closing garage door’s path. If something triggers the electric eye, the garage door opener will immediately reverse.
Though safety is important for all homeowners, families with small children or pets should pay special attention to their opener’s safety options.
3. Modern Advancements in Garage Door Openers
If it’s been years since you’ve looked at garage door openers, you may not realize how far they have come. For one, today’s garage door openers offer a much higher level of security than those in the past. We can provide you with a residential garage door opener that works on a rolling code system, meaning the code changes every time you use it, making it virtually hack-proof.
Our Wi-Fi garage door openers can also come equipped with smart technology that turns your mobile phone or another digital device into a super garage door opener. Use wireless access to monitor when your door is opening or closing and to control your door from any location where you can connect to the internet. For convenience, security and peace of mind, you can’t beat our garage door openers.
4. When to Replace Your Garage Door Opener
Even if you’re not purchasing a new door, it may be time to replace your garage door opener. You should consider a garage door opener upgrade if your current opener exhibits one or more of these traits:
- Old age: In 1992, the Consumer Products Safety Commission established important safety requirements for residential garage doors. This includes requirements for automatic reversal and electric eye technology. If your garage door opener was manufactured before 1993, you might be missing crucial safety features. Upgrading to a new garage door opener can be a convenient way to improve both function and safety.
- Unusual noises or vibration: All garage door openers make noise, but openers may develop new noises or begin to vibrate over time. If you notice changes like these, it may be a sign that your opener has loose parts or your garage door is unbalanced. Contact a garage door expert to help you decide if you need to replace your opener.
- Failure to function: If your garage door opener won’t work or has frequent issues, it may be time to upgrade to a more reliable opener.
5. Garage Door Opener Installation Process
Installing a garage door opener is fairly straightforward, but it typically requires a professional. After you select your garage door opener, here are some things you can expect during the installation:
- Installation time varies depending on the complexity of the product, but average openers require two to four hours.
- Trained technicians will apply basic carpentry and electrical knowledge to ensure accurate installation.
- Opener installation typically requires at least two people.
- Your garage door may need to be professionally adjusted before the opener is installed.
Though it is possible to install a garage door opener on your own, it may be safer and more convenient to call Halo Overhead Doors for installation in the Houston area.
Difference Between Belt and Chain Garage Door Openers
As you browse garage door openers, you’ll notice belt and chain openers are prevalent styles. Each of these opener types offers different advantages based on your situation:
- Chain garage door opener: Chain openers use mechanisms similar to a bike chain to pull your garage door open. These are the most common and affordable opener types and are well-suited for small or large doors. The moving gears and parts included in a chain opener tend to be a little noisier than other opening methods. If your garage door isn’t attached to your home or noise isn’t a concern, a chain opener is a sturdy and reliable option.
- Belt garage door opener: Belt openers utilize a rubber belt to open garage doors, which makes them quieter than chain openers. This option is a long-lasting solution if you want to keep an attached garage as quiet as possible.
What Horsepower Do You Need for a Garage Door Opener?
Garage door openers typically range from 1/3 HP to 1 1/2 HP. The horsepower you choose will depend on the size of your garage door and how often you use it. A 1/2 HP opener works well for a standard single garage door. If you use your garage door more often or have a heavy double door, you may need an opener with a bit more power.
Selecting the right horsepower for your opener will help it function as designed and prevent unnecessary wear. The professionals at Halo Overhead Doors can help make sure your opener is optimized for your specific garage door setup.
Let Halo Overhead Doors Help You Find the Perfect Garage Door Opener in Houston
Just as we have a residential garage door to suit every need, we have a residential garage door opener to suit just about every garage. Whether you’re looking for a belt-drive, screw drive or chain drive garage door opener, we can help. If you need a lighter-duty 1/3 HP model, a standard 1/2 HP or an even more powerful opener, we have you covered. We have jackshaft openers for those with limited overhead space and openers with vibration isolation systems for the absolute pinnacle of quiet operation. We even have wifi-garage door openers.
Once you’ve chosen your preferred opener, we can make an appointment as soon as possible for one of our experienced service technicians to install your new unit. Our installers are extremely efficient and will have you enjoying your new opener right away. We’re confident that you’ll love your new LiftMaster® or Genie® residential garage door opener and that it will give you smooth, easy, quiet, fast access to your garage day after day and year after year.
If you’re not sure which garage door opener is the right one for you, your garage and your home, we’re happy to help. Just give us a call at 713-224-3667 and tell us a little bit about what your needs are and we’ll figure out which of our many high-quality residential garage door openers is optimal for you. Or, if you’ve settled on an opener and just need an estimate on price or installation, feel free to contact us online anytime, and we’ll happily accommodate you.