When is your garage door opener too old?

As a rule of thumb, an electric garage door opener should last for 10 to 15 years… that is, unless there are significant technological advances that warrant an upgrade, or changes to government regulations. (Note: interestingly enough, following California’s horrible wildfires in 2017 (not to mention 2018’s being the most deadly and destructive on record), the governor of that state signed a bill that will require all new residential openers to be equipped with a battery backup.) Some openers have a longer lifespan, such as LiftMaster’s Elite Series, while others, often those at lower prices, shorter.

One way or another, a garage door opener won’t last forever, or more precisely, always give you the level of operation you desire. Certainly, how often it is used will play a role. With the majority of houses having attached vs. detached garages, the garage door is frequently the primary access point. But there are also other factors. So let’s look a little closer at this hard‑working yet often overlooked device.

First, what is its actual age?

Maybe you’ve been in your current house for quite a while, and the garage door opener has always been there. In this case, you’re probably not exactly sure how old it is. So let’s find out…

Two quick ways to check:

• Does your electric garage door have an automatic photoelectric reverse system? This consists of two sensors installed on each side of the garage door opening, about 4 to 6 inches (10 to 15 cm) from the ground. Not there? Then this indicates your door opener was manufactured before 1993.
• Alternatively, climb a ladder and take a look at the metal housing of the motor. You should find the year it was manufactured written here (serial and model number).

Again, is it more than 10 to 15 years old as mentioned above? If that is the case, then you should most definitely consider upgrading your door opener. Keep in mind that the more you use your door opener, for whatever reason, it will wear out faster. What’s more, the longer you put off finding the cause of strange noises coming from the opener - usually a sign of a malfunction - the more premature wear it will experience. How often you both use it and give it regular maintenance (or have it done) will determine its lifespan, just like your other home appliances.

Do you feel like 10 to 15 years isn’t very long? As a point of comparison, be aware that your spring system, whether torsion or extension, that acts as a counterweight for the total weight of your garage door, lasts on average 5 to 7 years.

Not sure if all of this sounds right? At Soo Overhead Doors Inc, we are able to give you a more exact idea if you need to change it right away or give it a proper tune‑up to make it work more efficiently and safely.

What might be the other reasons to replace your garage door opener?

Age isn’t the only reason for replacing your garage door opener. There are quite a few others, like:

• The door opener manufacturer is no longer in business
  It is possible that the brand of door opener you currently have is no longer available on the market. This is why we recommend LiftMaster / Chamberlain garage door openers as the company, founded in 1954, has a proven track record.

• You want to keep you and your family as safe as possible
  It wasn’t necessary for door openers made a few decades ago to have reversal systems. Starting in 1982, a voluntary industry standard required an automatic reversing mechanism be part of the garage door opener. This meant that when a lowering garage door came in contact with an object, the door automatically stopped and reversed direction. In 1993, legislation improved safety again by having garage door openers equipped with the previously mentioned automatic photoelectric reversal system. If your older garage door opener doesn’t have the requisite 2 safety systems, the possibility of an unfortunate accident caused by being hit by a descending becomes all the more real.
• Avoiding a robbery is important
  Before 1993, door openers were programmed using 7 or 8 dip switches that were set to -, + or 0. Such a system could have its code detected by a thief who would then operate the door in your absence. Between 1993 and 1995, LiftMaster / Chamberlain introduced a coding system named Security that allowed millions of possibilities of codes. Then, in 1996, LiftMaster / Chamberlain began offering their Security+ system that improved to billions of possible codes making it virtually impossible to break the code.
• Your current system is too noisy
  Nowadays, very quiet door openers using metal‑reinforced rubber belts are available. In addition, there are now wall‑mounted openers that can be placed next to the door, called Jackshaft door openers, for residential use. If, by chance, you have placed a room, especially a bedroom, over your garage, installing such a door opener will help avoid noise being transferred through the joists of the garage ceiling.

• You want to simplify your life!
  In 2013, LiftMaster / Chamberlain introduced a quite revolutionary technology for garage door openers, the MyQ system. This amazing technology allows you to easily operate your garage door from wherever you are in the world. All you have to do is download the MyQ app and you can open and close your door from your connected device, i.e. smartphone, tablet or laptop, as long as you have a Wi‑Fi connection. The app can also notify you each time someone opens or closes your garage door. As well, you can set up a timer to open and close the door at predetermined times of the day. Just to be reassured that you can close the door even if you’ve arrived at work or on vacation wondering if the door was left open should convince you it’s time to upgrade your garage door opener.

Would you like to learn more?

If you live in or around Sault Ste. Marie, then go ahead and contact us at 1-877-794-4223. We carry the full range of LiftMaster door openers including those with belt drives or chain drives, installed centrally or beside the door… these door openers are quiet and reliable. Some models come with an emergency battery so that you can open and close your garage door in the event of a power outage.

If you’d like, we can send you a quotation by email. We would also love for you to visit us at our showroom. Lastly, if you decide to change your garage door, try out our Design Centre to select the style of door that suits you best. To get inspiration, peruse our image gallery for numerous beautiful examples.