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October 16, 2020

4 of the Most Useful Garage Door Opener Safety Features

Many modern garage door openers are fitted with a variety of useful safety features that can make both your garage door and the garage itself safer to use. However, some of these optional features are more useful than others. If you are looking for a new garage door opener that will also improve safety in and around your garage door, keep an eye out for the following useful features.

1. Automatic Lighting

A garage door opener fitted with an automatic light can make your whole garage a safer place to be, especially at night. These lights are activated automatically whenever the garage door is opened, giving you a clearer view of your surroundings as you park your vehicle or drive it away.

If you do choose a garage door opener with integrated lighting, consider paying a little extra for a model with LED lights. LED lights are much more reliable than conventional bulbs, and use significantly less energy, making them cheaper to run and easier to maintain.

2. Backup Batteries

Conventional door openers rely on your home’s main electricity supply, and can therefore be rendered completely useless during a power outage. This isn’t a safety issue if you are able to open and close your garage door manually, but elderly or disabled users may put themselves at risk or injure themselves trying to lift a heavy overhead garage door, or pulling at a stiff manual release catch.

Consequently, many automatic garage door openers are fitted with backup batteries, which provide power to open and close a garage door automatically when your main power supply fails. Most backup batteries hold enough power to open and close a garage door hundreds of times, and are recharged automatically by your main power supply.

3. Automated Deadbolts

Garage door openers fitted with automated deadbolts add a useful extra layer of security to your garage door, making your garage and your attached home safer.

Automated deadbolts can be set to lock and unlock automatically whenever the garage door is opened or closed, or you can choose to activate them manually. They are ideal if you frequently forget to lock the garage door yourself, or your existing garage door lock is a finicky manual device.

Some automated deadbolts can also be activated and deactivated remotely, either using a remote or a dedicated smartphone app. If you suddenly remember you forgot to lock your garage door in the middle of your working day, remote deadbolts can be activated without leaving the office.

4. Auto-Close Functionality

Automatic, remotely-activated locks can be very useful for securing your garage — but only if you remember to shut your garage door in the first place. For this reason, most modern garage door openers feature auto-close functionality.

Auto-closing garage door openers are fitted with sensors that can detect how long the garage door has been left open. If the garage door is left open for too long, the door opener activates and the garage door is automatically closed.

Most auto-closing garage door openers allow you to set the specific time interval before auto-closing activates, so you never have to rush through the door before it closes. Auto-closers can also be temporarily deactivated, which can be handy if you are working inside the garage and want some extra light and ventilation.

These are just some of the useful safety features that can be found on modern garage door openers. If you have any more questions about garage door opener safety features or want to know more about different door opener brands and models, contact the garage door experts at Plano Overhead Garage Door.

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