5 Practical Reasons to Change Your Garage Door Opener

Published on December 15, 2022

Whether you’ve lived in the same house for ten years or recently moved into a new one, replacing your garage door opener might be at the bottom of your renovation list. Garage door openers have relatively long lifespans that can surpass 20 years, so homeowners often let them be. However, there are several reasons why changing your garage door opener may be a smart idea. 

A new garage door opener is a quick, straightforward, and effective way to improve functionality and home security. With so many options on the market today, you’ll surely find a model that suits your preferences. To help you better understand the benefits, here are five practical reasons to change your garage door opener:

1: Peace and Quiet

Chain drive and screw drive garage door openers are still among the most common types. Unfortunately, they are also some of the loudest. Both types rattle and shake as they open and close your garage door, resulting in annoying sounds you can hear inside your home. 

Belt drive, direct drive/jackshaft offer you peace and quiet in your home.

2: Increased Safety

Most new garage door openers have an automatic reversal mechanism that uses sensors on either side of the door. The sensor sends a light beam across the garage entrance and reverses the door if anything crosses the beam’s path, preventing the door from closing on any people, pets, or objects in the way. Some older garage door openers, however, lack safety reversal systems. 

If your garage door opener doesn’t have this feature, we highly recommend upgrading to one that does to increase safety. 

3: Better Security

Garages are often easier to open than a locked front or back door. If you have an old garage door opener, thieves and other individuals with ill intentions may be able to find the code for your remote control and open your garage. Modern garage door openers use rolling codes that change upon each use, making them nearly impossible for anyone to duplicate.

4: Convenience

If you take a garage door opener remote with you every time you leave the house, even if it’s to take a short walk, you know it’s inconvenient. You might misplace it and replace your remote or manually open the garage. Many new garage door openers come with a keypad, allowing you to program a code, press the buttons, and easily open and close the garage.

5: More Capabilities

The capabilities of newer garage door openers provide several reasons to change your garage door opener. Smart connectivity allows you to open, close, and monitor the garage door from anywhere. Battery backup systems ensure you have access to your garage door even when the power is out. 

Find your local Richards-Wilcox dealer if you’re interested in getting a new Garage Door. Please visit to review some of the best Liftmaster Garage Doors in the industry.