How To Program Garage Door Openers

Garage doors are one of the most important features of the home. Not only do they majorly contribute to curb appeal, but they are an important safety element to your home. And no garage door is complete without a reliable, updated garage door opener. After all, your garage door opener allows you to open and close the garage door when needed. When you experience garage door opener issues, it can be quite tedious and inconvenient. We’ll give some tips for garage door opener repair, as well as teach you how to program a new garage door opener. 

How Do Garage Door Openers Work?

When in use, garage door openers transmit a radio signal to open the door. This embedded code is unique to your garage door and must be opened in proximity to your home. As an exception, there are smart garage door openers now that can open and close your garage door from your phone. This is especially convenient if you have a babysitter, pet sitter, or other service professionals that have to enter your home when you’re not there. Through an app, you can control the garage door. You can even buy Ring garage door openers, which give added security to your home.

Types of Garage Door Openers

There are four main types of garage door openers to choose from. Here at Sunwest Garage Door, we are happy to discuss the different kinds of garage door openers and help you pick the best fit for your home. 

1. Belt Drive Garage Door Opener: These are the quietest and most low-maintenance garage door openers. Because of this, they are among the more expensive products. Having a quiet garage door can be worth the investment though, especially if you have a lot of people moving in and out of your house throughout the day.
2. Chain Drive Garage Door Opener: Typically, these types of garage door openers are more standard for residential homes, as they are a cheap option. Operating with a trolley that moves along a metal chain, these garage door openers are known to be louder. If you have a detached garage or don’t mind a noisier garage door, this may be something you consider.
3. Screw Drive Garage Door Opener: These garage door openers use a trolley that moves along a steel rod. They are usually pretty quiet and run smoothly.
4. Direct Drive Garage Door Opener: The most modern of the four, these garage door openers use the garage door motor itself to move the trolley. They are usually low maintenance, with light noise and smooth movement.

Programming LiftMaster Remotes

LiftMaster is a popular brand due to their innovative, smart products that focus on safety and quality. Their steps for programming remotes are very straightforward:

1. Go to your garage door opener and locate the learn button.
2. Press the learn button. If you have a LiftMaster max, look for and press the program button.
3. Within 30 seconds, press the button on your garage door remote that you want to program.
4. The lights should blink to show that the programming was successful.

Programming Genie Remotes

Most Genie garage door openers will come already programmed. Here are the steps to take if not:

1. Press and hold the program button down until it flashes blue.
2. Press the remote button twice.
3. Lights should flash to indicate that the pairing was successful.

Garage Door Opener Repair

If you are experiencing garage door opener issues, it’s critical to get it fixed as soon as possible. Here are some symptoms that may point to a garage door opener malfunctioning: 

• Garage door won’t open or close.
• Garage door reverses after opening or closing.
• Garage door makes odd noises.
• Garage door stalls or gets stuck.
• Garage door will only open part of the way.

If you are experiencing any of the above issues, there are a couple of things you can do before calling for service. Check to see if your garage door opener light is on and try resetting the system. If you’ve deemed that it’s not an electrical error, try to manually open the garage door. If you can open it, your garage door springs and cables are working correctly, therefore there is most likely a problem with your garage door opener. 

Call us here at Sunwest Garage Door to diagnose the issue. If it’s a smaller problem, we will most likely be able to repair the garage door opener. If it’s a larger issue, a replacement will be a more viable option. We can recommend our favorite products and discuss the best options for your home. 

Contact Us

Here at Sunwest Garage Door, our team has the experience and dedication to provide you with amazing service. We are passionate about conducting the best repairs in Anaheim CA. Make an appointment with us today. We are excited to meet you!