Written by Arthur Chartier and published on http://www.homeautomationgadgets.com/smart-garage-door-opener/.

If you want to bring your home into the 21st century, one of the best smart garage door openers should be on your list. These devices easily connect to your existing garage door opener and allow you to monitor and control your garage door right from your smartphone. You can also link a smart garage door opener to other smart home devices. So, for example, when you open your garage door when you return home, your house lights will turn on.

How to Pick a Smart Garage Door Opener

Have you been thinking about a smart garage door opener? Is it time to upgrade that old garage door opener with one of the newer smart garage door openers? Maybe you don’t need to replace the opener at all; there are options to make your existing door opener a lot smarter.

In this article, I will look at some options for picking a smart garage door opener. There are devices that you can use to make your existing door opener controllable via Wi-Fi and you can use your smartphone to operate your garage door. I will also be looking at some tips to keep your garage secure.

Why Choose a Smart Garage Door Opener?

The main reason I see is increasing the security of your garage, nearly all homes that have an attached garage also have a door going from the garage into the home. Not only can you open and close your garage door remotely, but the smart device will also send you a notification whenever your garage door is opened and closed.

And if the app your using can monitor different users this will let you see who is opening or closing the garage door right on your smartphone. Another reason for getting a smart opener is you can open it from anywhere you are.

Let’s say your wife is getting home from shopping and picking up the kids, and for some reason, she has misplaced her keys. She can sing her smartphone to open the garage door and if you’re also using a smart lock she can unlock the door going into the house with her smartphone too.

Another perk of having a smart garage door opener is it’s automatic! Our kids have a bad habit of leaving the garage door open when they come in from biking, it’s great that they do store their bikes in the bike rack and being in a rush to get in they forget to close the garage door. No problem, I just check my smartphone to see the last person who opened the door and I can close it right from my phone.

A smart garage door opener can be programmed to close the garage door if it’s still open at any time you set-up. Some openers have a sensor that will close the door automatically; this is great if for some reason someone forgets to close it.

5 Things to Look for in Garage Door Openers

1] Its Design… Many times garage door openers have to be able to lift heavy garage doors and the best size power-wise for most garage doors is ½ horsepower. There are bigger openers including the ¾ horsepower models that are used when lifting heavier wooden garage doors. Most openers can work on the typical 7 foot high doors and you can get kits that will work on taller doors.

Make sure when picking your opener that it can work as a smart garage door opener with home automation systems. Does it have a battery backup system in the event of a power outage that will save you the hassle of having to use the manual release device on the opener? Just about all the newer openers operate via a chain drive and some use a belt drive. Both are fairly quiet when there running, choose a belt drive if the garage is located near a bedroom.

2] Is it Safe and Secure… A garage door is quite heavy and it can cause serious injury or in rare occasions death, so it is vital that it has safety features installed correctly. The door sensors must be set to automatically reverse the door if something is under it. There should also be motion sensors installed close to the bottom to detect any movement and automatically reveres the door.

Look for security features that prevent unauthorized access to the garage like a good quality keypad that prevents access unless you know the security code. Another thing you can do if you’re going to be away for a while turns the power off to the garage door opener. Using a smart garage door opener will also boost the security of your garage.

3] Hardware Options… Garage door openers are much more than pushing a button, look for one that will also provide key-less entry options and more than one remote for other users. You will appreciate the key-less entry pad especially if you don’t have the remote handy. If you have a smart garage door opener the keypad entry is still a good option if you need access to the garage and your phone is in the house.

Look for a garage door opener that has two lights usually there’s one in the front and one in the back depending on the opener. Normally the interior garage light is not on so having those extra lights when opening and closing the door is really handy. Most openers allow the user to program the length of time these lights stay on for.

If you buying a new garage door opener and maybe adding it to your home automation system get one that is Wi-Fi capable so you can open the door using your smartphone. If you already have a door opener and want to make it smart I will look at options for making your existing garage door opener smart a few paragraphs below.

4] Warranty… Pick a garage door opener that has a lifetime warranty for the motor and the drive system whether it’s chain or belt-driven. Some warranties can cover certain parts for longer time periods, read through the warranty information on the garage door opener your considering prior to buying it. You can usually just “Google” the opener and get that information online while you’re doing your research. This information is typically available in PDF from the maker’s site.

5] Support and Help… Having good customer service is vital if you need some help with installation or to ask questions. A good place to get information on a particular garage door opener is Amazon by reading through customer reviews and answered questions on the Amazon product page.

What’s the Best WiFi Garage Door Opener?

Let’s take a look at the best smart garage door opener which in my opinion is the “Chamberlain B970”. It is controllable from your smartphone and has a battery backup system and packed with high-tech features that will give you years of trouble-free service and security for you and your family. An ideal choice for attached garages.

Features

– Strong steel-reinforced belt drive system.

– Super quiet operation.

– Real-time alerts to your smartphone.

– The status of your garage door from anywhere.

– Anti-vibration so it doesn’t wake up anyone sleeping.

– Battery backup system.

– Maximum lifting power in its category.

– Made from high-quality materials.

– 1500 foot range remotes.

– 100 billion different code combinations.

– Easy to install.

What it Comes With

– 2- 3 function remotes.

– Motion detector control panel.

– Wireless keypad.

– Infrared safety sensors.

It also has mounted for 2-100 watt bulbs and will fit 7-foot doors, extension kits available for taller doors. It has 206 customer reviews and 228 answered questions and a 4.4/5 rating. You can read the reviews and get more information on

Make Existing Garage Door Opener Smart

If you already have an existing automatic garage door opener and don’t want to buy a new one you can make your existing opener a smart garage door opener. Adding a wireless Wi-Fi hub will make your opener “smart” and you will be able to control it from your smartphone. I’m going to recommend the “Chamberlain MyQ Smart Garage Door Opener”.

It will give you total control as to what’s going on with the garage door from the convenience of your smartphone. Never have to wonder if the garage door was left open or if unauthorized people have opened the garage door.

Features of Chamberlain MyQ Smart Hub

– Gets alerts to your smartphone when the door is used.

– Open and shut the garage door from anywhere.

– Enhances your security and safety.

– Schedule your door to open and shut.

– I Will work with Nest and your smartphone.

– Simple installation and set-up.

– Compatible with most automatic garage door openers.

This will turn your “Dumb” garage door opener into a smart garage door opener. It has 932 customer reviews and 469 answered questions and has a rating of 3.5/5. A great solution without having to replace your old automatic door opener. You can read the reviews and answered questions and get all the details on.

Security Tips to Protect Your Garage

The garage is the most vulnerable places of your home, here are some security steps that you can take to make it more secure.

1] Wi-Fi- Security… Any time you install a wireless router or home automation system you need to secure it. If your Wi-Fi is not secured than anyone can access the system and get access to your personal settings.

Always use a strong password to protect you’re your system from hackers, update the password that came with the device. For more information on securing your home from hackers read my article “How to Secure Your Smart Home Against Hackers” you can.

2] Block Easy Access to the Release Cord… Most burglars know about the emergency release cord that allows the garage door to be opened manually. Make a shielding device with a piece of plywood to prevent anyone from sliding a hook in the gap at the top of the garage door and releasing the emergency device.

3] Monitor the Door Sensors… Your garage door opener should have safety sensors that can be monitored with a smart garage door opener. Be sure to check for anyone that has snuck into the garage while the door was open.

4] Make use of Video Security Cameras… Most security systems can be connected to video cameras and can be set-up to start recording in a garage when the door is opened. Increase your security by setting up a video camera somewhere it will get a full view of the door access. When you have a smart garage door opener you will be able to control and monitor the door for activity.

5] Set the Door to Close Automatically… Having a smart door opener allows you to also control and set how long the door stays open for, the safest way is to remain in the garage or your vehicle until the garage door has completely closed. Smart garage door openers come with a good app that allows you to automate and adjust all the settings from your smartphone.

6] Step up your Garages Security… There are steps you can take to increase your garages overall security. Install a good quality deadbolt on any man doors going into the garage. Reinforce the striker plates by removing the short screws and replacing them with longer ones. Always keep the man door going from your garage into your home locked after you use it.

7] Cover up any Windows that look into the Garage… Use window blinds on any windows that are in the garage so thieves can’t see what’s in the garage, you can also install glass breakage sensors to windows. If you’re really concerned about your safety you can add a security system that monitors the outside areas of your home as well.

8] Add Sensor Lighting Outside… Another inexpensive way to increase security is to install a couple of motion sensor outdoor lights that will come on if someone is hanging around your home or garage. Even just adding a few signs that say your home is protected by a security alarm system can also as a deterrent.

By following these 8 security tips you can make your garage and home much safer and get peace of mind knowing your smart garage door opener is protecting you and your family. If you’ve been considering update your home’s security the garage and garage door are good places to start with.

Original post here http://www.homeautomationgadgets.com/smart-garage-door-opener/.