The Automatic Garage Door Opener

Modern technology provides the American consumer with an assortment of household conveniences, all of which make life around the house more comfortable than ever before. Super automatic water saving clothes washers and dryers with steamers, microwave ovens with convection and the ability to broil, and refrigerators that go beep in the night when the door is left open. All are but a few of the gadgets that contribute to our current way of life.

Those approaching their golden years can relate to what life was like B.A.--Before Automatic!

Among the many modern household contraptions is the automatic garage door opener. A radio frequency transmitter is all that it takes to open the door right from the comfort of your automobile. Instead of people-power, electricity is the motivating force. Now, that's our kind of door!

We're so impressed with automatic garage door technology that we are attempting to find ways to adapt it to bed making, clearing the dinner table and perhaps even dressing the little ones! Seriously though, the automatic garage door opener is not only a convenience item, but it adds significantly to safety and security. From the safety of his vehicle, a driver can open the garage door, be greeted by a light and close the door all in a matter of moments without being subject to harm by an unwelcome visitor.

In inclement weather the automatic opener means not having to get out of the car only to be drenched and end up with the sniffles for a week. Still, with all of the terrific advantages of automatic openers, some folks are reluctant to install one for fear that their home will somehow be less secure. One of the greatest reported fears is that automatic garage doors can be opened by low-flying planes, transistor radios, the neighbor's microwave oven or even a master control (a master key of sorts).

Fortunately, such is not the case. Most transmitters offer between 250 and 15,000 code choices depending upon brand and model. An outsider has a better chance of winning the Publisher's Clearing House Sweepstakes than opening your garage door.

There are, however, some precautions that should be taken to keep your home safe. First, treat your transmitter as if it were a key. When shopping or parking somewhere other than in your garage safeguard the transmitter. If the transmitter is clipped to the sun visor of your automobile be certain that the windows are closed and that the car is locked. If the windows need to be open, even slightly, or if you drive a convertible, place the transmitter into a locked compartment.

Once snatched, a crafty thief needs only moments to determine the brand, model and code for your particular opener. Armed with this information, all that remains is for the stranger to determine where you live by trailing you home and to pick up a replacement transmitter, which then becomes his admission ticket to your home--or at least your garage. He doesn't need to steal your transmitter. He can simply make a copy without your knowledge. You don't leave your house key lying around. Treat your transmitter with the same care. Another solution is the mini transmitter, which is about the size of small pad of matches, can be placed in a handbag or pocket and even comes equipped with its own key chain.

Hard-wired electric key switches and coded keypads have been popular accessories for automatic openers for quite some time now. These are especially convenient if you're on foot and don't want to carry a transmitter around with you when gardening or taking a stroll around the block, for example.

The bad news is that hard wired accessories aren't the most secure and make it pretty simple for a "street smart" stranger to open the door. If you intend to mount a control on the outside of your garage use a wireless digital key-less entry system safety and security first. The wireless system contains no visible code, which can be duplicated, and if tampered with it will automatically shut down.

Safety is another concern that many consumers have relative to automatic garage doors. There have been many reported instances where children have been injured by aggressive automatic garage doors. Since April 1982 Federal law has required that a closing garage door that is operated by an automatic opener must reverse off of a two-inch block.

Even with the safety improvements resulting from the April 1982 legislation, injuries continue to occur and safety is still an issue. Therefore, a new law as of January 1, 1993 requires that a garage door opener must be equipped with a monitored non-contact safety reversing device or safety edge, which will stop and reverse a closing garage door.

An example of such a safety device is an electronic beam sensor which is installed at either side of the door opening which, when broken, will cause the door to stop and reverse itself. A second safety feature is a pressure-sensitive electronic rubber strip, which attaches to the bottom of the door where it makes contact with the floor. Just as with the beam sensor, when engaged, this safety edge will cause the door to stop and reverse itself avoiding injury or damage to property.