Tuesday, February 13, 2018

Manual garage door vs electric garage door; pros and cons

We modern day humans like our choices. We eat out in restaurants and pour over menus with dozens of entrees and drink options. We shop for cars in auto malls and look at endless arrays of models and style choices. We can go online and browse through page after page of shopping choices with even more options for delivery. It’s much the same for our garage doors and openers. We can choose garage doors in just about every size, color, weight and style imaginable and our garage door opener options are almost as varied and extensive. Here at Pro East Cobb Garage Door we provide our local customers with a seemingly endless selection of these garage door components and one choice that is always open for them is whether to opt for a manual garage door opener or an electric one. You don’t have to live here in East Cobb, GA to make this choice. Both garage door opener options are available worldwide. Read on and see the pros and cons of each; it’ll help you make up your own mind!

You didn’t always have a choice… 

It’s true; there was a time in the not too distant past when everyone used to open their garage doors manually. You had to; there was no other way to do it! With the advent automatic garage door openers, everything changed. It suddenly became not only popular, but virtually necessary to have one of these convenient and security enhancing garage door openers. They are so commonly used now that many people have no idea that they have a choice of garage door opening methods. But that brings up the question; if automatic garage door openers are so good and so popular, why would anyone opt for the older, manual method?

Pros of opening your own garage door 

Remember when we said that people like options? While that is very true, it’s also true that people like nostalgia. Having to manually open or close your own garage door is reminiscent of a time when life was simpler, more carefree, and hard work was required to get by. Nostalgia plays a big role in folks opting for not having an electric garage door opener. It’s much like gardening and making your own clothes. You really don’t have to grow your own food or learn how to sew but it’s fun and therapeutic for many. Plus you can actually save money by doing many of these tasks and chores yourself. Lifting and lowering your garage door provides exercise, too. You have to physically get out of the car and back in when you operate your garage door this way. You can compare it to climbing stairs or taking the elevator. People do both and there are pros and cons to each method. Don’t forget the money savings involved. After all, you don’t have to actually buy, install, service or repair that cumbersome garage door opener! After a while, not having all those bills adds up. Who couldn’t use one less thing to worry about in today’s hectic and stressful world?

Pros of opting for the electric (automatic way) 

Much like a political debate, the ‘other’ side has its own arguments for choosing their way of opening and closing a garage door. Proponents of electric garage door openers boast of time savings and added convenience as you never have to get in or out of your vehicle to operate your heavy garage door. There is no heavy lifting, or getting wet during rainy season; just stay put inside your climate controlled vehicle, tap your opener remote and drive in or out of your garage with ease, comfort and security. Speaking of security, electric garage door openers offer enhanced protection as you never have to leave your car in order to move your garage door up and down. It makes sense; you are distracted and pre-occupied with manually lifting your garage door. Your car door is probably still open and your motor is still running. You are at risk for being accosted, attacked, or even abducted. Your vehicle is also at risk as the keys are still in the car along with your purse or wallet, driver’s license, registration, insurance, home address, and lots more.

Cons of both 

As we said above, having to get out of your car to open or close your garage door leaves you and your vehicle vulnerable to crime, bad weather and the elements in general. It can also become quite tiresome if done over and over. Another problem involving manual garage doors is that having one can hurt your home’s resale value. It’s a fact; most home buyers prefer having an automatic garage door opener and the fact that you don’t have one already installed can make them pass on your home and opt for one that does. If they do happen to make an offer on your house, it will for a lower amount as they have now (mentally anyway) factored in the price of a garage door opener to be added in the near future.

The only ‘con’ that is really obvious that comes with having an electric garage door opener is that it will cost you more now and in the long run. You will have expenses for purchasing and installing your opener but if you use the right garage door repair shop, those will be very minimal. There are also repair expenses if your opener unit breaks down. We recommend getting a good warranty and having periodic maintenance done on your unit as recommended by the manufacturer and your garage door repair technician.

The bottom line 

The choice is yours. We recommend that you contact a full service garage door repair shop in Marietta, GA for further details and recommendations. Weigh carefully your different wants and goals and speak to one of our garage door technicians or one near your locale. Doing so will result in a garage door opener choice that is right for your budget, goals and desires.



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Pro East Cobb Garage Repair