How to Find the Perfect Match for Your Garage Door

If you’ve always opened and closed your garage door manually and have decided to make your life easier by having it automated, or you have an automated door and are looking to upgrade to the latest technology, chances are that, up until this point, you haven’t given much thought to the nuances and unique physical and operational characteristics of the door. You know that it serves a purpose but, beyond that, there isn’t much that distinguishes it from any other moveable barrier that is used to block off an entrance or exit.

However, now that you’ll be automating or upgrading, you’re faced with a number of choices that may, at first glance, be confusing or even intimidating. But don’t worry – we’re here to help and make your life easier by telling you all you need to know and consider when choosing a garage door solution.

The very first thing you need to establish is the operating mechanism or door design. This is the easiest part of choosing an automation solution, because you’ll be able to determine this through simple visual inspection.

There are three main types of door design, namely tip-up, sectional and roll-up.

These terms are fairly self-explanatory but, again, we’d like to make your life easier, so here’s a brief description of each:

Tip-up doors, also known as up-and-over doors, operate by swinging up and out in one piece when it is opened, tilting on a hinge at the top of the door frame.

Sectional garage doors, on the other hand, are made up of multiple panels that are connected with hinges and rollers. When opened, the door panels slide up and along tracks that are mounted on the garage ceiling.

The third type of door design is the roll-up door, which is made of horizontal slats or panels that are connected by hinges. When the door is opened, the slats roll up and coil around a drum above the garage door opening.

The next factor that will play a role in your decision of a garage door operator is the weight of your garage door, which will determine the lifting force needed to reliably open and close the door. For this part, we strongly recommend calling out a reputable installer, as he will have the right tools to gauge the weight of the door. This is important since a door that is heavier than the weight for which the operator is rated will lead to strain on the motor and gearbox, shortening the lifespan of the components.

Finally, choosing the right automated garage door solution will come down to your preferences and requirements. Some features that will provide you with the most security, convenience, reliability and flexibility are power failure autonomy, i.e. whether the operator will continue working during an outage, as well as built-in safety and security features.

The CENTURION SDO4 SMART garage door operator for tip-up and sectional doors boasts award-winning technology and delivers a wide variety of innovative and industry-leading features such as a tamper alarm, reliable battery-driven technology and the Door Service Monitor, which notifies you when your garage door is in need of a tune-up. In addition, thanks to a belt-driven drive train, you’ll enjoy the ultimate in comfort and a truly premium garage door experience.

Roll-up? Roll in to your nearest CENTURION branch or distributor or get in touch with your preferred installer and ask about the compact and reliable RDO roll-up door operator.