The next generation in garage door control

Garador’s new technology, the Smart Phone Control Kit, enables you to control your garage door from anywhere in the world, as long as you have internet access. ArchiPro caught up with Garador’s marketing manager Paul McKenzie to find out more about one of the latest innovations in garage door control.

Tell me a little about the technology behind the Smart Phone Control Kit.

The Smart Phone Control Kit is an app suitable for use in both Apple and Android devices. It enables people to monitor and control their garage doors either when they’re home or at work, or on holiday.

The app was designed by Automatic Technology, which is part of our group in Australia. It links into the door opener and runs on a 128-bit security system. A hub operates between the local router, wirelessly links into the motor and then sends the signal to the router. The app will work as long as there is an internet connection at your home.

The app is not only suitable for new builds, as it can be retrofitted on Garador’s garage door openers that are up to two years old. If it is older, the door may need a new opener for the app to function.

We launched the Control Kit around two years ago but, since then, a lot of work has gone into improving and updating it. There is much more requirement for this kind of technology today, as people are more aware of and open to using home control apps.

What benefits does the Smart Phone Control Kit bring the homeowner?

The main benefit is around people forgetting to close or thinking that they have forgotten to close the garage door. The app will alert you if you’ve left it open, and if you’re at work and receive the notification, you can close it from there – there’s no need to return home.

Notifications are also sent when the door has been opened or closed by someone else, which is great for security. If someone has broken into the house and is using the garage door opener on the inside, the app will send a notification. It will also store a full record whenever your friends or family use the door, so it’s easy to see who used it, and when.

It will also store a full record whenever your friends or family use the door, so it’s easy to see who used it, and when.

Another great feature is that you can lock all other remotes, or other phones, from the app. Effectively, if you’ve lost a remote, you can turn them all off at once. The app can also replace remotes completely, if desired, as you can program each of the family’s smartphones into the app.

Extended range technology means that you can open the garage door from anywhere – you could be on holiday in Europe – the only limit is that you must have internet access on your phone via WiFi or cellular network.

Do you have any new innovations that you’re working on within the app?

We are currently working on adding cameras as an extra feature, so you can see who’s coming in and out of the garage. If, for example, you are getting a parcel delivered, you can open it for the courier, tell the courier to leave the parcel in the garage, and then close the door, while watching the entire time. All our innovations are centred on making people’s lives easier and safer.

What other new technologies are you seeing gaining strength in the garage door industry?

Safety beams that have an infrared beam on the garage door and link into the opener are already very popular in Europe and are starting to be seen more in New Zealand. If there’s a young child riding their bike through the door, or a box is in the way, the safety beam will stop the door coming down.

Insulated doors are also becoming more popular here. People are starting to use their garage for more than just parking cars – they might turn it into a man cave or a home gym, or use it as a teenager hangout zone. As well as helping with temperature control in colder climates, the insulated doors are also great for noise reduction – ideal if your kid is learning to play the drums!

How have garage door openers changed over the years – what do homeowners want now?

It was once considered a luxury for people to press a button to open their garage door but today it’s the standard. If you bought a garage door now, then you certainly wouldn’t expect to have to hop out of your car to open it. One thing we’ve noticed that’s changing is that garage doors are now one of the main entries for the modern home – people tend to drive straight in or press the button and walk into the house via the garage, rather than use the front door.

Visit Garador on ArchiPro to find out more about the options available for garage door control and how these offerings can make your life easier.