Garage door openers are a necessary evil in most homes. They make our lives easier by automating the process of opening and closing our garage doors, but how much power do they use. If you’re keen to know more about it, you have come to the right place.
In this article, we will discuss how much power does a garage door opener use? We will also provide tips on how to reduce the amount of power your garage door opener uses and save you money on your energy bill. So. let’s get started.
How much power does a garage door opener use?
Garage door openers utilize between 1/4 and 1/2 horsepower on average (HP). 0.001 kWh is consumed by one garage door cycle (open/close). As a result, the average cost of electricity per kWh is 11.5 cents. When we multiply 0.001 kWh by 11.5, we get 0.011 cents for each time we open or close the garage door.
This means that if you use your garage door opener 3 times a day (once in the morning to leave for work, once in the evening to come home, and once at night to go to bed), it would cost you approximately 33 cents per day, or $9.90 per month, to operate your garage door opener.
If you use your garage door opener 6 times a day, it would cost you approximately 66 cents per day, or $19.80 per month, to operate the garage door opener.
Summary
Is Electricity Compulsory For Garage Doors?
No. You can also open and close your garage door manually without using any electricity. But, if you want the convenience of being able to open and close your garage door with the push of a button, then you will need to use some electricity.
How Can I Reduce The Amount Of Power My Garage Door Opener Uses?
There are a few things you can do to reduce the amount of power your garage door opener uses:
1. Energy-saving mode
Many garage door openers come with an energy-saving mode. When this mode is activated, the opener will only use the power it needs to open and close the door. It will not use additional power to keep the door open or to keep the motor running.
2. Check and clean the sensors
The opener’s sensors are what tell it when to stop and start. If the sensors are dirty or misaligned, the opener will use more power than it needs to.
3. Get a garage door opener with a DC motor
DC motors are more efficient than AC motors and use less power.
What Kind Of Breaker Should Be Attached To A Garage Opener?
When you have a battery backup for your garage door opener, there are no issues with power outages (UPS). These are especially useful in situations when a simple connection to mains power is not available.
The batteries should be charged once a month, depending on usage, and the charger is included. A second battery is suggested for emergencies to ensure continuous operation.
Using smart power strips in conjunction with a solar panel system on your roof is also a viable option. This is a long-term investment that will pay off.
When on standby, how much power does a garage door opener use?
When your garage door opener is on standby, it uses very little power. The average standby power consumption for a garage door opener is 1-2 watts.
Some garage door openers have a standby power consumption as low as 0.5 watts because they are built with the goal of reducing standby energy use.
How much does it cost to operate a garage door opener?
The cost of operating a garage door opener will depend on how often you use it and the type of opener you have.
If you use your garage door opener once a day (for example, when you leave for work in the morning and when you come home at night), it would cost you approximately 66 cents per day, or $19.80 per month, to operate your garage door opener.
This is based on the national average of $0.11 per kilowatt-hour and assuming that your garage door opener uses 0.5 watts of power when on standby and 6 watts of power when in use.
What is the average lifespan of a garage door opener?
The average lifespan of a garage door opener is 10-15 years. However, this will depend on how often you use your garage door opener and how well you maintain it.
If you use your garage door opener multiple times a day, it will likely have a shorter lifespan than if you only use it once a day.
In terms of maintenance, to extend the lifespan of your garage door opener, make sure to regularly check and replace the batteries in the remote control and lubricate the opener’s moving parts.
Conclusion!
A garage door opener is a convenient way to open and close your garage without having to get out of your car.
They can be opened or closed remotely, so you don’t have to be in the garage to do it. Power used by garage door openers on door cycle is half a watt-hour, and is minimal, with an average standby power consumption of 1-2 watts, as we have discussed.
However, it’s important to keep in mind that the average lifespan of a garage door opener is 10-15 years. So, while the initial investment may be higher than a manual garage door, over time it will even out.
In the guide, we have discussed the power consumption, how much they cost to operate, and their average lifespan.
We hope that this guide has been helpful and that you will now be able to make an informed decision about whether or not a garage door opener is right for you.
I am Jeff Bortnick, the founder of SMART WISE HOME. I am also a husband, father of two, and a long-time technology lover. I have been obsessed with home automation since I was at University doing my MSc in Automation and Control Engineering