How Can I Upgrade to a Smart Garage Door Opener?

If you are planning to make use of “smart home” technology, one area that you may need to address is your garage. However, if your garage is older, you may not be sure about whether your electric garage door opener can be upgraded to something smarter. You may be surprised at your options when it comes to converting an existing garage door opener into a smart garage door opener by using a smart garage door controller. This is a great way to customize your garage without breaking the bank.

What Are the Advantages of a Smart Garage Door Controller?

You or a qualified expert may be able to integrate technology with your current garage door opener that enables a variety of smart capabilities, essentially transforming your old garage door opener into a smart garage door opener without replacing it entirely. There are many benefits to installing a smart garage door controller. Depending on which controller you choose, some features may include:

• The ability to open and close your garage door remotely from anywhere at any time via a smartphone app or integrations with other electronic devices.
• The capability to monitor whether your garage door is open or closed.
• Integration with smart home ecosystems such as Amazon Alexa, Apple Homekit, and Google Home, enabling voice commands and other virtual assistant benefits.
• Scheduling for automatically opening and closing the garage door at specific times of day.
• Guest access for friends and family without needing to use a remote.
• The replacement of a garage door opener remote with your phone.

How Do I Install a Smart Garage Door Controller?

Depending on the model of smart garage door controller, the installation process can vary in complexity. Models such as the Chamberlain myQ are often less difficult to install because they are wireless, but they may not be compatible with all garage door openers, especially old ones. In general, however, if your smart garage door controller is wired, it will probably work with just about any garage door opener. Installation of these controllers will typically require the following steps:

1. Attaching the controller to the existing opener
2. Inserting a wire to the open and close nodes of the old opener
3. Installing a sensor to determine the garage door’s open/close status, if applicable
4. Connecting the smart garage door controller with the home’s Internet/WiFi
5. Linking the smart garage door controller with a smartphone app
6. Integrating the controller with a smart home ecosystem

Especially when it comes to the electrical elements of these steps and the complications that could result due to compatibility issues or other problems, we encourage you to enlist the help of a professional.

Contact a Downers Grove Garage Renovation Specialist

You are smart. Your garage door opener should be smart, too, right? That is why you should reach out to a DuPage County electric garage door opener expert who can help make your existing opener smarter by integrating it with a smart garage door controller. By upgrading to a smart garage door opener, you will always know the status of your garage, and you will be able to open and close your garage door from anywhere, without the need to install an entirely new garage door or garage door opener. Call Blue Sky Builders at 630-852-8485 to learn more. We have more than 41 years in the garage renovation business, and you can trust us to get the job done right.