What Are the Latest and Best Garage Door Opener Features in 2019?

The busy season has begun for home improvement and building contractors. If you plan to replace your garage door and/or garage door opener this year, now is the time to research options and engage a contractor. To help you get started, we have compiled some information on the latest options in garage door openers from LiftMaster, the brand of garage door openers that we at Blue Sky Builders, Inc. recommend and have been installing for our customers for many years.

Battery Backups for Electric Garage Door Openers

If you have had an electric garage door opener for many years, you probably take it for granted that the door will open whenever you press the button. But what happens if your electricity goes out due to a summer storm? Make sure your family knows how to use the red-handled cord that hangs down from the garage door track. When you pull that emergency release cord, it disconnects the garage door from the electric opener, allowing you to raise the garage door by hand. Do a test run to make sure you can get that door open manually. See your owner’s manual or this online video for instructions on how to use the emergency release and how to reconnect the door back to the electric opener.

However, some people cannot physically open a large garage door on their own. Therefore, the latest garage door openers now come with a battery back-up. If the electricity goes out, the battery will operate the garage door. In California, battery backup is required by law on all new garage door and electric door opener installations starting July 1, 2019. California passed this law after some homeowners were trapped in wildfires because they could not open their garage doors manually.

Better Garage Lighting Is Safer and More Functional

When you drive into your garage at night, your electric garage door opener probably has a light that turns on automatically. That is handy, but sometimes that light is just not bright enough. Whether you are trying to make your way safely out of the garage or trying to find something you dropped, more light is always better. In fact, LiftMaster did a survey of homeowners and learned that 40% said better lighting would improve their use of their garage.

In response, the latest LiftMaster garage door openers come with an improved LED lighting system that promises to fill your garage from corner to corner with 3,100 lumens of light. The LED bulbs should last for the entire life of your garage door opener, so you will not face the annoyance of replacing burned out bulbs.

Amazon Prime Can Now Leave Deliveries Inside Your Garage

Amazon Prime members in major cities now have the option of in-garage delivery at no extra charge. You will need an internet-connected garage door opener and the Amazon Key app. For around $50, you can buy a myQ Smart Garage Hub and turn your existing garage door opener into a “smart” internet-connected one. The Amazon key app will notify you when your garage opens for the delivery driver and when the garage closes.

DuPage County Garage Construction You Can Trust

Blue Sky Builders, Inc. has been repairing and building custom garages in Cook County and surrounding areas for over 40 years. For a free estimate on your DuPage County garage building needs, including garage doors and garage door openers, call us at 630-852-8485.