Why Choose a Side-Mount Garage Door Opener? Here are 3 Reasons to Make the Switch!

Is your old garage door opener finally failing? Maybe you want some additional space in your garage! What type of garage door opener should you buy?

With such a wide range of models of garage door openers available, it can be hard to tell what you should buy. Of course, there are quite a few factors that you’ll need to consider, including the following:

● Your needs and goals with the space

● Your budget

● The amount of room in the garage

● The size of your garage door

However, you should also realize that trolley operators are no longer your only choice, so you should include “type of garage door opener” in the list of factors above. About a decade ago, a new style of garage door opener hit the market. It was called the side-mount, jackshaft, or wall-mount opener.

What should you know about this style of garage door opener?

You should know a few things about this type of opener. First, wall-mounted openers must be installed on the wall beside the garage door and not on the ceiling above the door or ahead of it. These openers have access to the same accessories as conventional openers, but they work differently. Instead of a trolley, this style opener uses a torsion counterbalance system that turns a shaft to raise or lower the door.

Love how this looks? This is the LitfMaster 8500W garage door opener model.

Residential jackshaft-style garage door openers are sleek and modern. They’re also pretty versatile and can deliver a wide range of advantages. For instance, even though they might cost more than a conventional garage door opener at the outset, they may be the more practical choice. We’ll cover three reasons why below.

Free up space for your stuff

If your garage has become cluttered and filled with junk, we’ve got the solution you need.

Before we dive in, though, it’s time to get rid of unneeded stuff:

It’s hard to decide what you want and what you need. Between sentimental items and things you’re holding onto just in case, it’s easy to overload your garage. To start winnowing through your belongings, ask yourself the following questions from this blog:

1. Could I even find the item when the need strikes?
2. Would it be cheaper/less hassle just to buy another one?
3. Will I actually need it? Or is that need more of a want than an actual requirement?

Decluttering frees up space, but it also does your body good. According to WebMD, decluttering your space can help you:

● Improve your focus

With fewer things around, you’re able to focus on other elements of life better rather than being distracted by stuff.

● Boost your self-esteem

Being able to organize your stuff gives you a feeling of accomplishment, which increases your confidence and decreases your stress.

● Build stronger relationships

How many times have you turned down visitors because your house was cluttered and you didn’t feel like cleaning? With better organization, you can have people over more often and build stronger relationships.

● Eliminate health concerns

Cleaning your home and removing items also helps improve its air quality. That affects conditions like asthma, allergies, and even COPD. Fewer items mean dealing with less dust, so decluttering is a good thing for your health.

● Sleep quality and healthy meals

Sleep comes easier in uncluttered, clean spaces. Likewise, it’s easier to cook meals for yourself and your family in an uncluttered space. You’ll sleep and eat better if you declutter.

Does the image above look like your ideal workspace? Imagine what you could do with some of that stuff gone! Image from Unsplash.

Need to see what you have? Clean it all out! Depending on how your garage is laid out and organized, this might be best done section by section. Our recommendation? Take time and start sorting and organizing things. Create areas for:

● Things you’ll keep

● Things you’ll toss

● Things you’ll donate

● Things you’ll sell

Within just a short time, you should have plenty of space (and if you manage to get a garage sale out of it, you’ll have some extra cash, too!). And, once your space is clear, you can find better ways to organize your garage, like shelves and even ceiling-mounted organizers.

Are your items safe in the garage?

Most of your belongings will fit in the garage once you’ve cleaned out all the junk. However, this isn’t a great environment for everything. Here is a list of 15 things you shouldn’t store in your garage to avoid dangers, hazards, and unpleasant surprises.

We’ll break things down into three categories, which are as follows:

● Hazardous/dangerous

These include things like gas cans, grease, oily rags, and the like.

● Pest attractants

These include pet food, cat litter, and even books that attract pests.

● Delicate/fragile items

This category includes things that should only be stored in a temperature-controlled area, such as photographs and wine.

Clear, clean, and organize your space

How does installing a wall-mounted garage door opener help you? First, it provides you with more space overhead. Without the garage door opener or the trolley, you’ll have a lot more room in the center of the ceiling (the garage door tracks will still be present). This extra room makes it easier to have taller vehicles or loads on the roof.

This also opens up your opportunities when it comes to better storage in the garage. Check out this blog for some incredible ideas that will transform your space and help you stay organized. From bike hooks to wall-mounted shelves, you’ll find a ton of choices.

Note: Some garage door openers can only be used with specific ceiling types, but jackshaft-type openers fit all of them. They’re very practical, particularly for high ceilings where a trolley might not be a very good fit. And they also work with small garages, as the garage doo opener itself only needs about eight inches of installation space beside the garage door.

Imagine how much space this woman could have if she’d removed the shelves on the side! Maximize your overhead garage storage by choosing a wall-mounted opener instead!

It’s all about the safety

All garage door opening systems today are required by law to include a photoelectric reversal system. Two photo eyes are installed, one on either side of the door, and an infrared beam is projected between them. If something breaks the beam, the door will not close. If the door is in motion and something breaks the beam, the door will automatically reverse.

With jackshaft-style openers, there’s an additional layer of protection. The opener is completely covered, which means there are no chains or gears that could snag coats or hair.

You’ll find that this type of opener is much quieter than old-style trolley openers, and they offer a sleek, streamlined, modern look. That’s good news for any garages with bedrooms or workspaces over the garage itself.

MyQ security camera

While side-mounted garage door openers don’t include a security camera, it’s a simple matter to purchase one and install it in your garage. This gives you a lot of flexibility in terms of placement, so you can get the best view at all times. We recommend that you consider buying the myQ intelligent camera from LiftMaster.

The myQ app also offers direct control over the camera and your garage door. Imagine being able to tap a button and see and hear anyone in the garage or opening and closing your garage door from anywhere on the planet where you have Internet access. You also get notifications if the camera detects movement within a 140-degree viewing angle.

Sounds good, doesn’t it? You can learn more about the camera and myQ technology on LiftMaster’s website!

Control any movement around your garage with the myQ app from LiftMaster.

Cut down on your maintenance requirements

What’s one of the key reasons to consider a side-mounted garage door opener? Less maintenance! Jackshaft openers don’t have a central trolley system, which means fewer moving parts that need to be cleaned and lubricated every year.

You’ll also find that you don’t have to tighten belts or clean them, and there are no chains to deal with, either. Plus, there is no need to climb a ladder to access the garage door opener, which means less chance of accidents.

As you can see, a jackshaft opener offers peace of mind, convenience, and improved safety!

Is this one more your style? This is the LiftMaster 8500C garage door opener model.

Ready to take the next step in the garage door opener purchase process?

Choosing the right garage door opener can be tough. Comparing your options is not simple, and all residential models have their own pros and cons. There’s help, though. We can guide you through the process and ensure that you get the right opener.

All you need to do is call 1-877-342-4666 to schedule an appointment!

Not sure where to even start? The experts at Gagnon Overhead Door Ltd. are happy to provide you with advice and guidance. Just contact us during our business hours and one of our specialists will tell you everything you need to know.

Every client has unique needs and requirements. We strive to understand your goals, your budget, your home, and your personal preferences. Based on that information, we can send you a free quotation on a garage door opener.

Want to replace your garage door at the same time? Explore our photo gallery to see past projects we’ve worked on. We’ve helped homeowners throughout the area find the right garage door to suit their homes, and we can do the same thing for you.