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Automatic Garage Door Openers
An automatic garage door opener has become
a common convenience in most garages. Major
brands include Genie, Chamberlain, Craftsman,
and LiftMaster.
Features to consider:
- Capacity to lift the weight and size of your
door.
- Opening and closing speed. The faster it
opens, the quicker you get in; however, beware
of doors that close too quickly as they might
pose a safety hazard. Also, to reduce wear,
faster doors should speed up and slow down
-- rapid on and off is hard on the mechanism
and may lead to early failure
- Obstacle detection: what happens if something
(a car fender or a pet) is
in the way of
the closing door? Avoid doors
that lack adequate
sensing or require high resistance
before
stopping.
- Type of drive: chain, belt, or screw. Chain
drives are generally considered the noisiest.
- Number of remotes, working range, the number
of access codes, and the ease with which
access codes can be changed should it match
your neighbor's code.
- A "vacation lock" to disable the
door when you are going to be gone for long
periods.
See also: Garage Doors
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