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Need to decide on a garage door opener? Most people default to the traditional ceiling-mounted opener, but there’s a sleeker, more modern option: a wall-mounted (or side-mount) garage door opener. If you’ve never considered one before, here’s why it might be worth the upgrade.
What Is a Wall-Mounted Garage Door Opener?
A wall-mounted opener mounts on the wall beside your garage door instead of hanging from the ceiling. This setup gives you a lot more flexibility, especially if you plan on actually using your garage for things other than just parking your car.
Get a side mount if you plan on working out in your garage, dealing with long materials like lumber (which could hit an overhead opener), or parking a large vehicle or boat. If you’re just parking your car and not much else, a ceiling-mounted opener might still make sense.
A big advantage of wall-mounted openers is that they free up ceiling space. That means you can install overhead storage racks, have more clearance for taller vehicles, or just enjoy a less cluttered look.
Built-In Backup Battery
Another major benefit is backup battery power. Like any garage door opener, you can still disengage it and manually lift the door if the power goes out. But wall-mounted models also come with a backup battery, so you can keep opening and closing the door multiple times even if the power is out. Once electricity is restored, the battery automatically recharges.
Smart Home Integration
I have a Chamberlain model that connects to the MyQ app, letting me open and close my garage right from my phone. You can even set up schedules, so your garage door automatically closes at night if you forget. Ceiling mounted openers have this feature but they’re often overlooked unless you specifically request one.
Here’s the opener I have: https://geni.us/Cham_sidemount
Wireless Lighting
These openers come with a light that isn’t physically connected to the opener itself. Instead, it wirelessly turns on when the garage door opens, which means you can mount the light anywhere in your garage for better visibility.
Delivery Driver Access (Yes, Really)
And here’s something wild! With MyQ, you can grant delivery drivers temporary access to open your garage and drop off packages inside, keeping them safe from theft.
What About the Cost?
If you’re going for a traditional ceiling-mounted garage door opener, you’ll spend about $250. But if you upgrade to a wall-mounted model, you’re looking at around $500 or more. Personally, I think it’s an easy decision. You get way more convenience, security, and space-saving benefits with the wall-mounted garage door opener. If you’re already investing in building your home, this is one of those small upgrades that makes a big difference in the long run.
