Many homeowners with manual garage doors think of changing them to automatic ones. Such an upgrade promotes efficiency.

In many cases, upgrading to an automatic garage door doesn’t require much hassle.

However, sometimes it may not be straightforward; some tweaks may be necessary before the upgrade. In other cases, the garage door may have sustained some damage to some key components, requiring a repair or replacement.

If you need a garage door replacement in Arlington Heights, our technicians at Chicago Garage Door can help with that.

Upgrading from a manual garage door to an automatic one is a worthwhile investment. If you’re too old, frail, or simply hate the inconvenience of having to leave your car to manually open the garage door every time you come home, an automatic garage door is a solution.

In addition to offering such convenience, upgrading to an automatic garage door is also a worthwhile investment should you choose to sell your home.

It can present a major selling point that can add a few hundreds if not thousands of dollars to your home’s marketplace value. 

Usually, you don’t need to get a garage door replacement to make the upgrade. Many manual garage doors can be upgraded to automatic ones without many issues as long as certain factors are favorable.

Steps to Follow

It should be noted that converting a manual garage door into an automatic is not your average do-it-yourself home project.

This is an expensive and risky undertaking, with a potential for serious physical injuries if not performed well. That’s why a qualified technician should do any such garage door upgrades.

Changing a manual garage door to an automatic one involves the following steps:

1) Assessing the Garage Door Condition

Unless you plan on replacing your garage door entirely, you’ll need to assess the current one before making any upgrades.

The manual garage door needs to be free of any resistance. This means that there should not be any friction during the garage door operation.

Other issues may include stiffness or an off-center garage door. These are all issues that require repairs before any upgrades are performed. 

2) Assessing Garage Door Type

There are different types of garage doors. Depending on the type installed at your house, the kind of upgrade needed may be slightly different.

The most common types of garage doors include: 

i) Side-hinged types

ii) Sectional types

iii) Tilt-up retractable types

iv) Tilt-up canopy types

Sectional garage doors are the most popular. They consist of panel sections connected by hinges.

Each side of the door opening has vertical tracks on which the wheels of each panel roll.

Upgrading such a garage door will involve different procedures than other types like the tilt-up canopy garage door or the side-hinged type. 

Another reason for assessing the type of garage door at your house is to know its exact configuration. While some may run on tracks, others require a motor and a bow-arm device.

Knowing such details will determine whether or not such a garage door can easily be upgraded into an automatic one. 

3) Decide on the Cost

Once you’ve determined your garage door needs, it’s time to decide how much you’re willing to pay for the upgrades. On average, upgrading your garage door from a manual to an automatic one can cost you about $2,000.

Of course, it’s a lot cheaper if you have some experience and are willing to use a conversion kit. Such a kit contains some of the miscellaneous components necessary to make the upgrades.

However, conversion kits may not always guarantee a successful garage door upgrade. You may find that the garage door is not functioning as expected even after you’ve performed the upgrade using the conversion kit.

This can be a source of frustration and unnecessary expenses. That’s why it’s always advisable to let a professional technician handle such garage door issues.

This will provide you the guarantee that your newly-automated garage door is in perfect working condition.

4) Consider Styling

If you’ve chosen to upgrade your manual garage door yourself using a conversion kit, improved functionality is the only result. The latest garage doors tend to have new, improved features.

Your upgrade will not be able to replicate such features. That’s why many people choose to replace their garage doors entirely instead of upgrading the old ones.

While some limited functionalities can be added to an old garage door, it will not be as stylish and improved as the latest ones. 

Advantages of Automatic Garage Doors

1) Convenience

This is possibly the major reason why most homeowners opt for automatic garage doors. The feeling of having to leave your car to open the garage door every time you come home isn’t one that many homeowners look forward to.

With an automatic garage door, all you have to do is press a button and your garage door opens.

2) Security

Most automatic garage doors have some of the latest security features. For example, many such garage doors have a system of rolling codes.

This means that the security code changes every time you press the button to open the garage door. Similarly, the Vacation Mode is another feature that disables the code indefinitely.

When this happens, the garage door can only be opened from the inside. This is a great feature if you’ll be away for long periods.

3) Safety

While rare, manual garage doors can cause injuries if they come crashing down. This can be dangerous if somebody gets caught in between the door as it closes.

Automatic garage doors have no such problems because they only close and open at the push of a button. This means that kids can play around automatic garage doors without the risk of physical injuries.

Your garage door requires the right kind of installation, servicing, and repairs if it malfunctions.

You need professionals that have the experience to quickly fix any such issues. Our people at Chicago Garage door can handle the job. Give us a call or submit a contact form!