Garage Door Remotes, Keypads and Smart Openers

When remotes stop working

Before replacing anything, rule out the simple causes:

• Battery. Even if the light still flashes, a weak battery shortens range.
• Lock mode. Many wall consoles have a lock or vacation button that disables all remotes.
• Interference. New LED bulbs in the opener light are a well-known cause of poor remote range. Swapping to bulbs labeled as compatible with garage door openers often fixes it.
• Antenna. The short wire hanging from the opener motor should point down and not be tucked into the housing.
• Lost remote. If a remote is lost or stolen, clear all remotes from the opener's memory and reprogram the ones you have, so the lost one no longer works.

Compatibility: why not every remote works

Openers use different radio frequencies and security systems depending on the brand and the year. Most openers since the late 1990s use rolling codes, which change every time you press the button so the signal cannot be copied. A remote has to match the opener's system: a remote for an older fixed-code opener will not work with a newer one, and some newer car systems need a bridge or adapter to talk to an older opener.

The easiest way to get it right is to look at the color of the "learn" button on the opener motor and the brand and model number on the label. A technician can tell from that which remotes and keypads will work.

Keypads

A wireless keypad outside the door is useful for kids coming home from school, for dog walkers and for anyone who does not want to carry a remote. They run on batteries, and cold weather drains them faster, which is a common reason they stop working in an upstate winter. If the keypad looks fine and has a fresh battery but still does not open the door, it may need to be reprogrammed to the opener, or replaced if water has gotten inside.

Choose a code that is not easy to guess, avoid using your house number or birthday, and change it if you have given it to contractors or neighbors.

Programming the button in your car

Many cars have a built-in garage door transmitter on the mirror or visor. It learns the signal from your remote, then pairs with the opener using the learn button. The steps differ by car brand and by opener system, so the car owner's manual and the opener manual are the place to start.

The most common reasons it will not program are a weak remote battery, standing too far from the opener when pressing learn, or an opener that uses a newer security system the car does not support. Some opener makers sell a small adapter that plugs into the opener to bridge the gap. A technician can confirm which one your opener needs.

Keeping smart access secure

• Use a strong, unique password for the opener app and turn on two-step sign-in if it is offered
• Remove access for people who no longer need it, such as former tenants, sitters or contractors
• Keep the opener and smart controller firmware up to date
• Put the garage on a secure Wi-Fi network, not an open guest network
• Turn on open-door alerts so you know when the door is used

A smart controller adds convenience, but the door between the garage and the house should still be locked like any exterior door.

Smart garage control

Many current openers have Wi-Fi built in, and older openers can often be retrofitted with a smart controller. Either way, you can:

• Get an alert when the door opens or is left open
• Close the door from anywhere if you forgot
• Give temporary access to a family member, sitter or delivery service
• See a history of when the door was used

For remote closing to be safe, the door must have working photo-eye sensors and the opener should give a warning light and beep before it moves. A technician can check that the safety system is working before connecting a smart controller. Strong Wi-Fi in the garage matters too: detached garages often need an extender.

Battery backup for outages

Storms knock out power on Long Island and upstate several times a year. An opener with battery backup can open and close the door a number of times without power. Some states require battery backup on new openers; New York does not as of this writing, but it is still worth having. If your opener cannot take a backup battery, it may be time for a new opener.

Where to put an outdoor keypad

A keypad is usually mounted on the door frame or the wall beside the door, at a comfortable height and within sight of the door, so the person using it can see that nobody is underneath when it closes. Openers are designed to be run from a spot where the door is visible. Mount it on the outside, out of the path of the door and away from where cars swing in, and preferably under some cover so rain and snow do not sit on the buttons.

In very cold weather, lithium batteries usually hold up better than standard alkaline ones. If the keypad gets direct sun, a cover keeps the display readable and the buttons from cracking over time.

Where calls are connected

Calls about remotes, keypads & smart control are taken across Long Island and upstate New York. On Long Island: Nassau County and Suffolk County. Upstate: Albany, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Warren, Washington, Columbia, Greene, Schoharie, Montgomery, Fulton, Otsego, Delaware counties.