Automatic Remote Control Door Openers
Installation of automatic remote control door openers in your home isn’t about being lazy. If you suffer any disability, even something as simple as carpal tunnel syndrome, it is in your best interest to take advantage of every amenity that you can. In today’s electronic age, nearly everything can be automatically activated by sound, motion, timers or even a command sent over the internet or your cell phone. Automatic or remote control door openers are handy things to have.
These door openers are devices that attach to existing doors, whether interior or exterior, and will automatically open, close, lock or unlock entrances by means of a remote control or touch pad.
The first steps in accessible remodeling could be as simple as replacing knobs with levers or installing keyless entry systems. If independent living is important to you, getting in and out of your home is probably the first step you should be thinking about. Automatic door openers that operate via remote control or a touch pad are options for you to consider if you have limited hand or arm strength.
Garage Door Openers
You are probably most familiar with garage door openers. A garage door can hinder independence for people with limited mobility or back injuries by making tools, cars and lawn equipment inaccessible. An automatic garage door opener can eliminate the daily struggle to get in and out of your garage. The most common types of garage door openers are chain drives, screw drives and belt drives.
The chain-drive system is relatively inexpensive but quite noisy as the chain moves the door along the center of the garage ceiling.
The screw-drive system is quieter and more powerful but as a consequence more expensive. The lifting mechanism moves along a threaded steel rod. The advantage is that it has fewer moving parts so less maintenance involved.
The belt-drive system is the most expensive. It uses rubber belts to operate the door so that the system is much quieter.
It requires at lest one-half horse power to lift a garage door. With power comes speed so the more expensive openers will get the job done faster (the more expensive openers close more slowly which could reduce the chance of an accident). All but the cheapest openers come with lights built into the motor box. The idea is to light the garage so that you can get out of your car into the house without tripping over something. Most models now have an electronic beam that will stop and reverse the direction if something blocks the beam, such as a toy, a fallen person or a child.
The cost of chain-drive openers can be as little as $100, a screw-drive about $175 and a belt drive upwards of $200. You can install an opener yourself but if additional wiring is needed you will probably need the help of an electrician.
A more sophisticated model uses a motor system that mounts on springs on the wall above the garage door. These are the super quiet models and will run $150-$300. By eliminating the ceiling mechanisms, these models can be used if you are housing an SUV or a boat. They also offer a battery backup in the event of a power outage.
Further
reading:
Baldrica, Nancy. The Accessible Home: Updating Your Home for Changing Physical Needs 
Dull, Jim. “Garage Openers Can Be Whisper-Quiet”, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, September 3, 2005.
Heavens, Alan J. “Giving the Garage Door a Good Lift; What to consider When Buying an Automatic Opener” The Washington Post, July 14, 2007.
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