Protect Your Remote From Future Theft
If your remote was stolen, you could incorporate some practices into your daily routine to prevent theft from happening again. Remember, your garage door opener is like a key to your home. You want to protect it as much as you can.
Keep your remote hidden. Most people leave their remote connected to their visor. This is an excellent opportunity for theft. If you think of your remote like your house keys, you would never leave your house keys visible in your car. Even if you dont want to carry the garage door opener remote with you, put it in your glove compartment or underneath your driver seat.
What To Do About Lost Garage Door Openers
- Written by Garry Steck on Dec 29, 2009To ensure our content is always up-to-date with current information, best practices, and professional advice, articles are routinely reviewed by industry experts with years of hands-on experience.Reviewed by Hannah Madans Welk on Aug 02, 2021
Garage door openers are considered a necessary convenience, especially in climates with harsh weather conditions. You quickly learn to reply on your automatic door opener in inclement weather. It is frustrating, therefore, when your garage door remote device becomes lost or damaged. These tips will help you deal with the frustrating situation.
Types Of Replacement Garage Door Openers
Garage door openers have two styles for programming. One is the learn/start method. You press the learn/start button, and the remote control and your garage door opening mechanism will synchronize automatically.
The second option is the DIP switch. When the switch is placed on these units, it will synchronize with the garage door. This second type of garage door replacement works better with older garage doors. However, it is more common to see the learn/smart button type used.
Your best option is a hybrid. It has a mixture of learn/smart buttons and DIP switches. This means that you will be able to open just about any garage door with this remote.
Thankfully, if you lose your garage door opener, replacing it will not break the bank. In most cases, a universal replacement will cost you between $50 and $70. There are several options available that will work well with your garage door. You can even find remotes that are specifically designed for your system for as little as $30. However, the more expensive the unit is, the more features it is going to have. These features can make securing your home and entering your home a lot easier.
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Your Garage Door Remote Was Stolen: What Should You Do
A garage door remote is a convenient tool you dont have to park and get out of your vehicle before pulling into the garage.
In bad weather and when youre in a rush, this efficient process helps you avoid discomfort and save time. With a click of a button, the automatic lift gate is activated and lets you inside.
But did you know this handy tool could potentially be a security risk if its stolen?
How To Deactivate Your Garage Door Opener
If you notice that youre missing one of your garage door remotes and cant find it anywhere, the first step you should take is to deactivate that garage door opener. Garage door remotes operate by emitting a signal that connects to the garage door motor in your garage through a code. You will want to reset the code to erase the memory of the lost remote from your garage door opener.
You can disable the garage door opener by pressing the Smart Button on your motor for several seconds to void all the remotes connected to your home. Its vital to deprogram your garage door opener and disconnect all programmed devices. Some remotes store the access code in a battery, so you need to reprogram the entire garage door opener system to reset the code completely. That way, no one can access your garage even if they have the remote.
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Erase The Remote And Reset The Units Code
If you happen to have a spare garage door remote, as most homeowners do, you can still use that remote and remain safe by erasing the other one from the openers memory. Then reset the code on both the remaining remote and the opener. Its the same as if you lose a key to your home and you have the locks changed.
Higher quality garage door openers usually provide online guides with instructions on how to erase a lost remote control unit from your openers memory.
How To Prevent This Problem In The Future
One of the best solutions is thanks to new technology a LiftMaster garage door opener with the MyQ system means that you can open, close, program and reprogram your garage door opener right from your phone.
As an added precaution, be sure to always lock your car doors, even if the car is in your own driveway, and avoid leaving the remote in plain view.
If you are in the Spokane area and would like to install a LiftMaster garage door opener or you wish to learn more about your garage door opener options, including the MyQ system, contact Continental Door Co. today. We have been serving the greater Spokane and northern Idaho area for more than 10 years, providing quality installation and service for LiftMaster garage door openers, Clopay garage doors and more.
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Other Issues That May Impact Your Garage Door Opener
Other than the fuse in the circuit board burning out or melting, here are some of the other problems that may impact the operation of your garage opener:
- A power surge caused the transformer to fail.
- A wire is burnt or loose.
- Your circuit board is defective.
- Theres a faulty capacitor.
- Your electrical cord is broken.
- An electrical cord has detached from the opener terminal.
If you suspect any of these issues with your garage opening system, a professional technician will be able to bring quality tools and use their expert knowledge to find the issue and provide the best solution. Specifically, a multi-meter is the tool that will help determine the exact source of the problem causing your garage opening system to not work.
When your garage door is experiencing electrical problems, a technician will perform some of the following tasks:
- Access the garage door opener with a ladder
- Locate the outlet the garage opener is plugged into and unplug the system
- Take off the outlet cover to reveal the circuit board and motor
- Find the fuse and other internal components in the circuit board
- Look for obvious signs of damage, like broken parts or a burning smell
- Use the multi-meter to inspect the fuse and other parts of the garage door opener
Preventative Measures To Avoid Garage Door Remote Theft
Losing your garage door remote is often a frustrating mistake. You can follow several preventative measures to prevent it from happening or to ensure it doesnt happen again. Here are a couple of tips you can follow to prevent someone from stealing your garage door remote:
- Deactivate the old system: When you move into a new house that already has a garage door opener, make sure to deactivate the old system instead rather than using it. When you reset the system or install a new garage door opener, you ensure the previous homeowners have no access to your home.
- Keep the remote hidden: If you keep your remote in your car, its a good idea to keep it hidden in a safer place or out of sight, like a glove compartment. Keeping the remote out of sight prevents anyone looking to steal a remote from targeting you.
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This Is A Great Time To Upgrade Your Technology
CLOSE IT FROM YOUR SMARTPHONE WITH
Perhaps this a great time to get connected with LiftMaster® MyQ. Dicover wi-fi garage door openers. Never worry about an open garage door again.
MyQ gives you the certainty that your garage door is closed, and the control to open or close it from anywhere at any time.
Opening Your Garage Manually
The first step when a garage opener has gone missing is to figure out how to open your garage without it. Now, if this happens frequently, then you are likely well versed in manually opening your garage, but in case it doesnt, here are the basic steps.
- Make sure your garage door is shut and the garage door opener is completely disconnected by pulling the emergency cord, a red handled cord that typically hangs from the center rail
- Lift the garage door fully open, ensuring that it remains open before stepping away
- To close the door, you will have to do so manually. Bring the door down until it reaches the floor
- Locking the door without your garage opener will require you to use the lock bar. Test to make sure that the door is correctly locked before leaving it
- If you do locate your garage opener, reconnect it to the mechanism and double check to make sure the door is unlocked. Having the lock bar activated can cause serious damage when attempting to open the garage door automatically
Fortunately, enough people either lose their garage door openers or have some kind of power outage that prevents garage doors from opening so manufacturers have allowed doors to open rather easily without one.
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If You Need Assistance
At Doors Direct, we strive to make your life easier. If youre having trouble finding a garage door remote thats compatible with your unit or if youd prefer a professional to program your remote, we can help.
With a large variety of garage door remotes, we have a remote that is compatible with your unit, and we can streamline your day by programming it quickly. Allowing Doors Direct to replace your garage door remote can simplify the process, and well have your garage back to normal in no time!
Replace Your Garage Opener Remote
Whether you are now down to zero remotes or you still have a spare, it is probably time to order at least one replacement. You should be able to look at the garage door mechanism to see what brand the door and opener are. You also could look at the manual, if you still have access to that. You may even be able to search online to find which remotes will work with your opener. You may be able to get a replacement directly from the manufacturer. Or, perhaps the easiest solution, would be to simply .
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Preventing Garage Remote Theft
To protect your garage door remote from theft, make sure that your car doors are always locked. Dont place the remote where criminals can easily see it. If youre parking the car in a sketchy area, take the remote with you. You will also want to hide your car registration in a place where a car thief cant easily find it, such as your glove compartment where people usually keep this document.
You can also be proactive by:
- Parking inside the garage, not on the street, and avoid leaving your car in unsecured areas.
- Always lock the door between your garage and house, in case your clicker is stolen.
- Install a deadbolt lock on this door to provide maximum protection against burglars.
- Purchase a mini remote that you can attach to your keychain, so its always with you.
- Connect your garage to your smartphone, so no garage door remote is needed.
What Should I Do If My Garage Door Remote Is Lost
Your garage door remote is as important as any other key to your home and unfortunately, these small devices go missing on occasion. It doesnt matter if your remote was stolen, it fell out somewhere while you were rushing around, or you loaned it to your sister when she stayed with you but never got it back, a lost remote is troubling. The good news is, its easy to secure your home even if youve lost the remote.
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Program Your New Remote
After disabling your garage door opener and removing the memory of the lost remote, your next step is to reprogram your garage door opener with a new control. You can reprogram your opener by following the instructions in the owners manual that came with your system.
If you only had one remote, you can buy a replacement from your units manufacturer. If your garage door opener operates using a wireless system, chances are you can connect your phone to your garage door opener through an app.
What Happens If Someone Steals Your Garage Door Opener
If your garage door opener is stolen, you can still gain access to your garage by purchasing a new one or duplicating an existing opener. You may also want to consider changing the code on your opener to prevent unauthorized access in the future. If you need help, you can always call a locksmith for assistance.
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How To Replace A Lost Wireless Garage Door Opener Remote Control
Replacing a wireless garage door opener is an easy task, that much like replacing the remote on a TV, must be compatible with the system and be programmed with the unit.
The first thing to do is to look at your garage door. On the side of the garage door, there should be a manufacturer name and a model number.
This can be Googled to see if you can simply buy a replacement remote.
The second option is to buy a universal garage door opener that can be programmed to work with your garage door.
Before Replacing A Lost Or Stolen Garage Door Opener Remote
First, you need to make sure your remote will not open the garage door if someone uses it. Your family could be vulnerable to intruders if you do not take action. Erase the remote from the garage door openers memory, then reset the code so you can continue to use other remotes if you have them.
If you arent sure how to do this, consult your garage door opener guide. It should include instructions for erasing and resetting remotes. Cant find the manual? Look online or call Quality Overhead Door, and we can walk you through the process.
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How Do You Clear The Memory On Your Garage Door Opener
Homeowners may want to clear the memory from their garage door opener for many reasons, like if theyre moving into a new home or switching over rental tenants. Most newer garage door openers have a limited amount of storage. Since these systems retain all of the codes for keyless entry, its important to know how to clear the memory.
If you must reset or clear the memory from your garage door opener, follow these steps:
Final Thoughts From Our Garage Door Repair Pros
Losing your garage door opener remote can be incredibly stressful. If you dont know what youre doing, you may be panicking that you cant open your overhead doors at all.
Like we said, losing your garage door opener doesnt mean you need a new garage door installation. But if youre running into problems because you have an old garage door, it might not be a bad idea.
Were the experts you want to call to install a new garage door if you live in the Parker area. Our garage door service team has been at it for years and know all there is to know!
We can help you pick out an incredible door based on your home and will install it perfectly. Having a new garage door can greatly improve the curb appeal of your home, so its something to consider! Maybe losing your remote was a sign that its time for a replacement.
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An Alternative To Deprogramming Your Garage Door Opener
Some door opener models have your control panel placed near the door that accesses your home. In this instance, you can simply press the LOCK button. When you do this, you disable the keypad and remote signals. But you can still open and close your garage door by pressing the open/close button on the control panel.
If you have a doorbell wall control, unplug the opener from the outlet. To open and close your garage door, pull on the red cord that releases the overhead trolley. You will then open and close your door manually. Relock the door by putting a lock on the side of the door.
The option to open and close the door manually is convenient in some cases. However, it does mean the garage door is unsecured because anyone can gain entry from outside. Reprogramming your spare remote is the best option for protecting your home against intruders. For guidance on how to do this, follow the instructions in the manual, look up the model number of the motor online, or contact the manufacturer or your local garage door company.
Familiarise Yourself With The Unit
Once youve finished reading, its time to get to know your garage unit. If you have the instruction sheet for the unit, it may be beneficial to read it briefly. If you dont have it, you can remove the garage door units control panel and locate the learn/smart button on the unit. The units instructions will be helpful when searching for the button.
When activated, the button will allow the unit to sync to the remote.
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