The automatic garage door opener was born with the American garage. The garage door opener was once considered a luxury. It is now a necessity. It can be used in over 35,000,000 homes in the US and is relied on to open and shut the largest moving object in the home, the garage doors.
Garage door openers found their way into American homes and laws were created to protect them. To protect garage door openers, new models after 1992 were required to have additional safety features. All garage door openers must be sold with an exterior protection system, also known as photo eyes or infrared sensors.
Garage door openers manufactured before 1993 were equipped with force-sensing safety devices that could only reverse the door if it made contact with an object in its path. These older models can be trusted if they are properly installed and maintained. The vast majority of older models do not have photo eyes. These sensors trigger the garage door to stop prior to making contact, and then reverse the closing action when there is an obstruction. This is in contrast to the old system, which only reversed once it made contact with any obstruction, person, child, or pet.
The Chamberlain Group, which is the largest manufacturer and distributor of garage doors, urges homeowners to take the time to find out when their garage doors were made. If your garage door opener was made before 1993, you should check to see if the photo eyes are still present. If it does not, you should replace the garage opener with one that has the latest, federally mandated safety features.
All Chamberlain garage door openers, as well as LiftMaster garage door openers, are available at home centers and LiftMaster professionals. They come standard with The Protector System safety sensors.
Visit this site to learn more about the products that you can install. www.chamberlain-diy.comYou can also find most major home-improvement retailers. For a professional opinion, or to find a dealer in your region, visit www.liftmaster.com.
