When you’re having your commercial garage door installed or replaced, the opener mechanism itself isn’t necessarily something you consider when you’re choosing your commercial door hardware. It’s something you don’t really see, and it’s literally just another part of the garage door right? Wrong. Your next installation of a commercial door could be enhanced by an automated garage door opener.
Your garage door opener can do way more than simply lift and lower your loading dock doors or overhead entry doors. With the right technology, you can create a whole security system for your overhead doors that all operates remotely with the tap of a smartphone.
The Benefits of Smart Automatic Garage Door Openers
What’s so great about this smart tech for overhead doors? Our top 3 reasons for recommending smart garage openers to our customers are:
- Convenience: between remote monitoring, keyless entry, and hands-free operation, getting in and out is easy every time.
- Security: Partnered with lighting and live-feed cameras, you can choose to be alerted any time the door is operated outside of typical times or forced open without authorization, and you can view it all on video via your smartphone.
- Safety: Everything is “smart” nowadays. Pair a smart garage door opener with compatible CO and smoke detectors so you can be alerted if levels become dangerous and fix the issue before anything gets out of hand.
This device is one of the best tools at your disposal to improve your business’s security. Automated door openers allow you to control security at your garage door from near or far, and to know at all times whether the door is open or closed. And while there are multiple options for automating your commercial door, let’s first discuss the most popular: LiftMaster.
LiftMaster’s MyQ Technology for Overhead Door Systems
Homeowners have embraced LiftMaster’s MyQ technology, which allows them to control lights and doors through a smart device like your phone or tablet. Business owners are likewise discovering “smart” automated garage door openers as a security solution that lets them operate doors remotely.
Not only is touchless, remote control of your overhead door super convenient when you’re entering your lot to drop off product or inventory (and you really should consider gate automation, too, for similar reasons), but these systems can also give the operator a heads up when doors have inadvertently been left open, so you can notify your staff with a simple text or call. This feature doubles as a security feature as it prevents break-ins becoming successful robberies by notifying you as soon as the entry is breached.
Commercial door hardware that automates your access procedures also reduces man hours and human error in giving access to subcontractors, maintenance teams or suppliers. Does the cleaning crew need to get in after hours when there’s no one present, and you’d really rather not drive all the way over to your business to let them in? Manual entry, of any kind, costs ongoing time and money in person hours. But your garage door opener equipped with MyQ technology lets you relax at home and reduce those billable hours while the crew gets in and takes care of business.
LiftMaster’s MyQ technology is the stalwart of these automated garage door opener systems, and they offer a variety of features to enhance your security system you can learn about below:
Internet Gateway for Remote Operation and Monitoring
The Internet Gateway allows the user to control MyQ-enabled products – lighting, gate operators and garage door openers – from your smart device wherever you happen to be. You can feel more secure knowing you control the main access to your business. Did you leave the garage door open? Close it promptly with an automated garage door opener.
You can also receive real-time alerts via text messages or emails when MyQ-connected lights are activated. This product also lets you create schedules to close gates or garage doors, or to turn lights on and off according to a program. This feature, particularly, can aid you in your efforts to be as energy-efficient of a business as possible.
Monitored Dual-Sided Photo Eyes for Enhanced Door Security
Photo eyes provide for maximum security with dual-sided, infrared sensors. Accuracy is enhanced with solid sensor lights that indicate when there’s correct alignment, while flexible housings absorb minor jolts and allow the unit to return to its original alignment, so nuisance call-backs are minimized.
Reliable Technology that Keeps Your Facility Secure
The LiftMaster door operator line incorporates new security technology with a strong, steady signal so that operators can gain access to their facilities quickly. With a longer range, this technology helps eliminate interference so operators can count on a response when they need one. Plus, with every click, a new code is sent to the door opener, so that it only opens for the operator pressing the remote.
Simpler Systems with Simpler Technology as Alternatives
At this point, if you’re a business owner with a small facility, a boutique with a storefront, a legal office, or anything else that doesn’t require such a complex system, but still want to beef up your security systems, you’re probably thinking automated commercial door hardware isn’t for you. But there are a couple popular solutions for residential and commercial applications alike that will cost you less while giving you similar (but admittedly dumbed down) remote features:
Abode: A Modular Security System for Storefront Doors, Windows & Security Doors
Abode is technically a home security system, but its applications can easily be used in smaller facilities like those mentioned above, and it’s a completely customizable, DIY security system. Abode provides you with simple mechanisms you install in any door, or even a container with a door (think safes, cash boxes, medical cabinets, etc.), that give both an audible alert when they are opened as well as sending a notification to your smart device.
This system can also be augmented with motion sensors and digital access pads that can arm and disarm your facility manually or remotely. These digital access pads also contain motion sensors.
Wyze: Build a Custom Video-Monitoring System for Your Facility
Wyze is another compartmentalizable, DIY security system that is great for smaller facilities because it is cameras and motion sensors in one little device. Their motion-sensing sensitivity can be altered (so you aren’t getting security notifications about passing cars or moving shadows), they work both in light and at night, and you can customize what alerts you want sent to your phone.
You can quickly review any notification of motion or sound, or you can easily play back literally any point in time the camera has been on. You can also use the same profile on multiple phones if you don’t want to be the only point of contact for the security system. These cameras work on Wi-Fi or hotspots, and best of all, they’re like, $25 apiece.
So, whether you’re a facility that needs commercial or industrial garage door automation, or you’re a small shop that just needs simple deterrents with simple security programs, you’ve got a lot of great options. But in this day and age, the worst option really is choosing not to update your security systems with remote automation.
Call SACS DOOR & GATE CORP. today to get expert consult on LiftMaster technology. We’re always here for advice, visits to your facility, updating existing doors at your business, or even a new door installation altogether.