Will a new keypad or remote work with my opener?

That depends on the make and age of the operator. We identify the unit and confirm compatibility before supplying anything.

Can connected control be added to an existing opener?

Often it can, by means of a retrofit controller, provided the operator has photoelectric sensors and the garage has an adequate wireless signal.

How long does a backup battery last?

The battery typically needs replacement every few years. In an outage, it provides a limited number of cycles.

What should be done if a remote is lost or stolen?

Clear the operator’s memory and reprogram the remaining remotes and keypad. The missing remote will then be inoperative.

Are exterior keypads secure?

A keypad with a well-chosen code, changed from time to time, is secure for ordinary purposes. Avoid obvious codes, and use temporary codes for visitors.

Do you fit accessories purchased elsewhere?

Yes, where they are compatible with the operator. We will check before fitting.

Openers

Garage Door Opener Accessories in Hartland

The opener itself is only part of the system. The controls and accessories around it decide how conveniently the door is used, how securely it is kept, and whether it will work when the power does not.

(000) 000-0000

Finger pressing a button on an exterior garage door keypad

Smartphone app showing a locked door status

Most requested: Exterior keypad
Most useful in winter: Battery backup
Compatibility: Checked before fitting

A matter of compatibility

Before any accessory is chosen, one thing must be established: what the existing operator will accept. Openers communicate with their controls by radio, and the frequencies and coding schemes have changed several times over the past thirty years. A remote or keypad must match the system in use. Connected controls, battery units, and automatic locks are more particular still, and many are made for specific models.

We identify the operator first, usually from the label on the motor housing and the color of its programming button. Then we advise on what can be added to it and what cannot. Where an operator is too old to accept a wanted accessory, we say so. It is sometimes more sensible to replace the unit, a matter treated under garage door opener installation.

Means of entry

Exterior keypads

A weatherproof keypad fixed to the door frame opens the door by a numeric code. For households with children coming home from school, for anyone who walks or cycles, and for the occasion when a remote is left in the other vehicle, it is the most useful accessory there is.

Most current keypads permit temporary codes, which may be given to a contractor or a visiting relative and afterward deleted. Some lock out after repeated wrong entries. The buttons should be illuminated and the housing rated for cold, since a Wisconsin winter is hard on inferior units.

We mount keypads at a convenient height on the latch side of the frame, out of the direct path of water from the roof.

Remote controls

Modern remotes use a rolling code that changes with each use and cannot usefully be copied. They are available in visor and key-ring sizes, with one to several buttons for multiple doors.

A lost remote should be treated as a lost key. The operator’s memory can be cleared and the remaining remotes reprogrammed in a few minutes, after which the missing one will no longer work.

Vehicle controls

Many vehicles have a built-in transmitter. Pairing it with the operator generally takes only a few minutes, though newer operators sometimes require a compatibility bridge for older vehicles. We can advise on the particular combination.

Hand entering a code on a wall-mounted keypad — Reference photo: hand entering a code on a wall-mounted keypad.

Connected control

A connected operator, or a retrofit controller added to an existing one, links the door to a telephone application through the household’s wireless network.

Its practical uses are these:

Confirming, from anywhere, that the door is closed, and closing it if it is not
Receiving a notice whenever the door opens or has been left open beyond a set time
Opening the door for a delivery or a visitor in the owner’s absence
Scheduling the door to close automatically at a given hour each night
Granting and withdrawing access for members of the household

For a second home on one of the lakes, which may stand empty for weeks, the ability to check the door from a distance has obvious value.

A connected system depends on a reliable wireless signal in the garage, which is often at the far end of the house from the router. We test the signal before recommending one. On the matter of security, reputable systems encrypt their traffic and require a sign-in. We advise a strong, unique password and two-step verification wherever it is offered.

A lost remote should be treated as a lost key.

Power and security

Battery backup

A battery unit, built into the operator or added to a compatible model, runs the door when the mains supply fails. It is intended for a limited number of cycles, enough to get vehicles in and out through an outage of some hours.

In Lake Country, where ice storms and summer thunderstorms both bring down lines, we recommend it for any garage that serves as the main entrance to the house. The battery is a consumable part and should be renewed every few years. Most units give an audible signal when it weakens.

Automatic door locks

An electrically operated bolt, fixed to the track, engages each time the door closes and withdraws before it opens. It prevents the door from being forced upward from outside. It is available for certain operators only.

Surge protection

The circuit board of an operator is vulnerable to voltage surges, whether from lightning or from switching on the supply network. A protector at the outlet is inexpensive insurance, and we suggest one whenever a board is replaced.

Before and after

A pair of worn key fobs and a keypad with telephone control

The before image shows two worn key fobs hanging on a hook. For many households, these are the only means of operating the door from outside. When one is mislaid, or when someone arrives without one, there is no other way in.

The after image shows a wall-mounted keypad at an entrance, with a telephone application in use beside it. Adding a keypad and connected control to a compatible operator is usually the work of an hour or so: the devices are mounted, paired, and tested, and the old codes are cleared. The household gains entry by code, notice whenever the door is opened, and the means to check it from anywhere.

Before: Pair of worn key fobs hanging on a hook — Illustrative comparison using licensed stock photography. It shows the kind of change this service makes and is not a documented customer project.

After: Phone app and wall keypad used together at an entry — Illustrative comparison using licensed stock photography. It shows the kind of change this service makes and is not a documented customer project.

Safety and convenience

Photoelectric sensors

Replacement sensors are available for most operators made since the early 1990s. They are worth renewing where the originals have been damaged, where their lenses have clouded, or where intermittent faults suggest failing electronics. An operator that predates sensors altogether should be replaced.

Wall control stations

A current wall station may include a motion-sensing light switch, a lock function that disables remotes while the household is away, a timer-to-close setting, and a display for programming. It is a worthwhile improvement on a plain doorbell-type button, provided the operator supports it.

Lighting

Operators with integrated light-emitting panels light a garage far better than a single bulb. For older units, bulbs made for use in garage door openers are available. They resist vibration, perform in the cold, and do not interfere with the radio receiver, as ordinary retrofit bulbs sometimes do.

Parking aids

A simple laser, triggered by the door, marks the point at which a vehicle should stop. In a garage that also holds a boat trailer, a workbench, or bicycles, it earns its keep.

Rail extensions and brackets

Doors of eight feet and taller need an extended rail. Wood and other heavy doors may need a reinforced operator bracket. These are fitted when the operator is installed, or added when a door is changed.

Accessories and the cold

Winter in southeastern Wisconsin places particular demands on these components.

Batteries lose capacity at low temperatures. Those in remotes and keypads should be replaced each autumn as a matter of routine. A keypad that responds slowly or dimly in December generally needs nothing more.

Keypad housings and their gaskets should be rated for outdoor use in cold climates. Cheaper units admit moisture, which then freezes.

Backup batteries deliver fewer cycles when very cold. In an unheated garage, the reserve should be regarded as sufficient for essential use and no more.

Sensors near the floor may be shifted by frost movement in the slab, or coated with road spray. A wipe of the lenses and a check of the indicator lights each month through the winter is sensible.

Fitting and setting up

An accessory is of use only if it is correctly installed and the household knows how to work it. When we fit one, we mount and wire it properly, program it to the operator, test it, and show the owner how to change codes, add users, and replace batteries. Where several items are fitted at once, we set them up to work together.

When an accessory is not the answer

Occasionally, an accessory is requested to compensate for a fault elsewhere. A remote with poor range may point to interference or a failing receiver. A door that will not stay closed is a matter of limits and force, not of locks. In such cases, we deal with the underlying fault, as described under garage door opener repair.

Questions and answers

Questions about opener accessories

Will a new keypad or remote work with my opener?: That depends on the make and age of the operator. We identify the unit and confirm compatibility before supplying anything.
Can connected control be added to an existing opener?: Often it can, by means of a retrofit controller, provided the operator has photoelectric sensors and the garage has an adequate wireless signal.
How long does a backup battery last?: The battery typically needs replacement every few years. In an outage, it provides a limited number of cycles.
What should be done if a remote is lost or stolen?: Clear the operator’s memory and reprogram the remaining remotes and keypad. The missing remote will then be inoperative.
Are exterior keypads secure?: A keypad with a well-chosen code, changed from time to time, is secure for ordinary purposes. Avoid obvious codes, and use temporary codes for visitors.
Do you fit accessories purchased elsewhere?: Yes, where they are compatible with the operator. We will check before fitting.

Estimates in Hartland and Lake Country

Ask what is compatible with your opener.

Describe the door, the building, and what you would like done. We will reply with any questions and arrange a time to measure or inspect.