Top Tips on Garage Door Opener Installation

With the wide range of garage door opener systems available, average costs to install one can vary from the reasonable to the extremely expensive. No matter if you call in a professional or attempt to do it yourself, garage door opener installations can quickly become costly projects.

The key element to keeping costs manageable and on budget is to make sure you get it right the first time, and this is where the help of a garage door professional can help those who are a little unsure on what sort of opening system would best suit their garage door needs. 

For those of you who want to install and decide for yourself which opener system would be best, the first thing to do is understand all of the components that go into a fully functional garage door opening system. Once you have a basic appreciation of these you will find deciding for yourself (and perhaps even the actual installation) won’t seem as daunting.

Installing a Chain or Belt Garage Door Opener

The vast majority of garage door openers are of the chain or belt driven variety, which both work along the same premise of pulling the door up with mechanical aid, so that you don’t have to. But with a large price difference between the two it is worth understanding the pros and cons that come with each of them;

If concern over pricing is your main decision maker, then a chain driven garage door opener will probably be at the top of your shopping list. Whilst cheaper than most belt driven openers they are equally as reliable (especially when using top branded manufacturers). However the main disadvantage to using chain driven garage door openers is the noise! Before making your final decision, you should consider the anticipated usage and the living/working spaces in close proximity (such as will you be using it alot in the evening, and have a child’s bedroom right above the garage?). 

This is why the majority of homeowners now prefer to install a belt driven garage door opening system at their residences. With a similar design to the cheaper chain driven openers, a belt driven garage opener’s main advantage is that they are a lot quieter when operating. It is also with belt driven systems that you have the ability to include them on Wifi and Bluetooth systems (although these days chain driven systems are also offering more and more connectability options). 

For the ardent yet perhaps less experienced DIY’ers reading this, you should take note that installing a belt driven opening system can become quite a complicated project when also adding it to a smart software or WiFi option.

Remote Control Options for Garage Door Openers

This leads us on nicely to all the add on features that come available with modern garage door opener systems. From remotes and security lighting to the smart software connection options you can add, it all makes a self installation that much more tricky to get right.

Remote opening comes in two options - Basic button remotes or keypad operated. The difference between them is security, with keypad remotes being more complex as they require specific security code processing for use. More often than not this leads to having to install and connect an additional keypad to your opening system, which if not done right can cause major problems to the smooth running of your garage door.

An opening system that uses a basic button remote to open and close your garage door is much simpler to install yourself but doesn’t offer the same level of security that keypad remotes do.

Garage Door Opener Lighting Features To Think About 

These days many garage door openers, chain or belt driven come with at least a basic light that switches on and off in tune with the mechanics of the door opening and closing.

However, whether your concerns are security or to help with the more practical matters of illuminating the inside/outside of your garage space, extra lighting can still be an essential part of your garage set up. If you have no prior electrical experience you will need to contact an electrician (or a fully qualified garage door technician) to come and wire any extra lighting you decide upon 

Using a Professional Garage Door Opener Installer

As you can see from the above - There are a number of aspects you have to take into account when planning to install a new garage door opener system. If you are serious about installing your perfect garage door opener system why take any risks of getting it wrong? By using a professional garage door technician you can rest assured that installing any garage door opener will go smoothly and within the budget agreed. 

You will often be pleasantly surprised with the specials offered by the your local bonded and fully insured garage door companies - For example here at Pena Garage Doors, we offer single garage door installation for $499 and upwards depending on the type of of opening system you want to add onto the package. 

Call us today and discuss all of your installation options for a vast range of garage door opener systems that we have in stock (800) 960-7362.