Can I Upgrade to a Smart Garage Door System in an Older Lakewood Home?

Yes, you can absolutely upgrade to a smart garage door system in an older Lakewood home. Even if your garage door opener is decades old, you can likely make it “smart” by retrofitting it with a Wi-Fi controller or by replacing the motor unit, which is a common, cost-effective upgrade for older homes. 

Yes, you can upgrade to a smart garage door system in an older Lakewood home. Most garage door openers manufactured after 1993 are compatible with smart controller technology, regardless of your home’s age. You can either add a retrofit smart controller to your existing opener or replace the opener entirely with a new smart-enabled model. Both options work well in older Lakewood properties.

At Select Garage Doors, we help Lakewood homeowners with smart garage door upgrades every day. Have questions about your specific situation? Contact us for a professional assessment of your garage setup.

This guide answers common questions about upgrading to a smart garage door system, including compatibility requirements, installation options, and what Lakewood homeowners should consider.

What Does a Smart Garage Door System Do?

Before getting into compatibility, here’s what a smart garage door system actually offers.

The basics: You can open, close, and check your garage door status from your phone. Anywhere you have an internet connection, you have control.

Beyond smartphone control, most systems offer:

• Real-time alerts when the door opens or closes
• Activity logs showing who used the door and when
• Integration with Alexa, Google Home, or Apple HomeKit
• Automatic closing if you forget to shut the door
• Geofencing that opens the door as you arrive home

Some systems add video cameras, motion sensors, and two-way audio. For Lakewood homeowners worried about package theft or home security, these smart home integration features offer real peace of mind.

How Do I Know If My Garage Door Opener Is Compatible?

Here’s the key question: When was your garage door opener manufactured?

Most garage door openers manufactured after 1993 are compatible with smart controller technology.

Why 1993? That year, federal safety rules changed the industry.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission issued final rules requiring revised entrapment protection requirements for all automatic residential garage door openers manufactured on or after January 1, 1993. It became mandatory for garage door operators to have photo eye sensors, edge sensors, or equivalent devices. 

Those photo-eye safety sensors are exactly what smart controllers need to communicate with your opener. The sensors confirm the door’s position and detect obstructions during operation.

Quick compatibility check: Look at the bottom of your garage door opening. Do you see two small sensors facing each other, about 6 inches off the ground? Those are photo-eye safety sensors. If you have them, your opener likely works with smart technology.

Can I Make My Old Garage Door Opener Smart Without Replacing It?

Yes, in most cases.

If your garage door opener was manufactured after 1993 and has working safety sensors, you can retrofit it with a smart controller. The retrofit device connects to your existing opener and adds WiFi connectivity and smartphone control.

This is the most affordable path to a smart garage door upgrade. The controller mounts near your opener, connects to your home WiFi, and pairs with a smartphone app. Installation typically takes 30-60 minutes.

When retrofit won’t work: Garage door openers made prior to 1993 are safe and reliable if installed, tested, and maintained properly. However, the vast majority of these older units are not equipped with infrared sensors or other external entrapment protection devices. 

Without those sensors, smart controllers can’t function properly. For pre-1993 openers, replacing the entire unit is the recommended path.

What Other Factors Affect Smart Garage Door Compatibility?

Your opener’s age matters most, but check these factors too.

Is Your Garage Door in Good Condition?

Smart technology controls the opener, not the door itself. But if your door has problems, they’ll cause issues for any system.

Watch for these warning signs:

• The door drifts up or slams down when you lift it halfway (balance problem)
• Visible warping, especially on wooden doors
• Worn weather stripping along the edges
• Tracks that look bent or misaligned
• Unusual grinding or scraping sounds during operation

Fixing these issues first protects your investment. A door in poor condition will strain any opener, smart or not.

Do You Have Strong WiFi in Your Garage?

This trips up more homeowners than you’d expect.

Your router should be within 50 feet of the smart garage controller for reliable performance. Garages far from the router, or separated by thick walls and brick, often have weak signals.

Test your signal strength before buying any smart equipment. If your phone struggles to load web pages in the garage, your smart controller will struggle too.

The fix is usually simple: a WiFi extender or mesh network system.

Do You Have an Electrical Outlet Near the Opener?

You’ll need a standard electrical outlet near the opener location. Most Lakewood garages already have this. If yours doesn’t, adding one is straightforward electrical work.

How Does Lakewood’s Climate Affect Smart Garage Door Systems?

Living along Colorado’s Front Range means dealing with big temperature swings. That affects garage doors.

In Lakewood, the summers are warm, the winters are very cold and snowy, and it is partly cloudy year round. Over the course of the year, the temperature typically varies from 23°F to 87°F.

Cold weather causes metal springs, hinges, and tracks to contract. Lubricants thicken. The door may move slower or require more force. Summer heat does the opposite, causing expansion and wearing out seals faster.

Smart systems help here. Many can detect operational changes and alert you before small problems become expensive repairs. Checking your door’s status remotely is especially useful during Colorado’s unpredictable weather.

What Does the Smart Garage Door Upgrade Process Look Like?

Here’s what to expect.

• Step 1: Assessment: A technician evaluates your current setup. They check your opener’s age and condition, inspect the door’s mechanical health, verify electrical access, and test WiFi signal strength.
• Step 2: Recommendation: Based on the assessment, you’ll know whether a retrofit controller will work or whether replacing the opener makes more sense for your Lakewood home.
• Step 3: Installation: For retrofit smart controllers, expect 30-60 minutes. For full opener replacement, plan for 2-4 hours. This includes removing the old unit, installing the new one, adjusting springs and travel limits, aligning safety sensors, and programming smart features.
• Step 4: Setup and Testing: You’ll download the app, create an account, and test everything. Open the door. Close it. Check that alerts work. Verify remote access functions properly.

Ready to Upgrade Your Lakewood Home to a Smart Garage Door?

A smart garage door upgrade works in older Lakewood homes across every neighborhood and construction era. The technology was designed for exactly this purpose.

For Lakewood homeowners ready to explore smart garage door options, Select Garage Doors provides professional assessments, expert installation, and ongoing support. Our Lakewood garage door services team knows the local housing stock, understands Front Range climate challenges, and has seen every garage configuration the city has to offer.

Call us today to discuss your smart garage door upgrade project.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to replace my garage door to add smart features?

No. Smart functionality comes through the opener, not the door. If your current door opens smoothly, closes properly, and stays balanced, it can stay. Just upgrade the opener or add a retrofit smart controller.

What year garage door opener is compatible with smart technology?

Most garage door openers manufactured after 1993 are compatible. That’s when federal safety regulations required photo-eye sensors, which smart controllers need to function. Check for two small sensors at the bottom of your garage door opening to confirm compatibility.

Can I install a smart garage door controller myself?

For retrofit smart controllers, yes. If you’re comfortable following instructions and have basic DIY skills, self-installation works fine.

Full opener replacement is different. It involves spring tension (which can be dangerous), electrical connections, and precise sensor alignment. Most homeowners find professional installation worth the investment.

How do I check WiFi signal strength in my garage?

Take your smartphone to your garage, stand near where the opener is mounted, and try loading a webpage or streaming a short video. If it works smoothly, your signal is strong enough. If pages load slowly or videos buffer, you’ll need a WiFi extender.

Will a smart garage door work with my existing remotes and wall button?

Yes. Adding smart technology doesn’t disable your existing controls. Your wall button and handheld remotes will continue working normally. The smart controller simply adds another way to operate the door.