Getting Ready to Sell Your Home - Don't Forget About the Garage

Published on: August 2, 2023

Houses are listed for sale on the market every day. So many in fact, that it seems like it must be an easy process. People decide to sell their home for many different reasons, job relocation, marriage, starting a family, and the list can go on and on. What is similar though, is everyone selling their house would like to be able to sell it for the maximum value.

Many factors are considered while appraising the value of the home. When getting ready to sell a home, most of the common things are done. Fix up the curb appeal, mend and paint over the holes in the wall, finally replace the broken light, and again, the list goes on and on.

Now you have found someone to purchase your home, the hard part is done right? All that is left is paperwork and inspections.  Although state to state inspections are done differently, they are all looking for safety.  This is when those most common overlooked updates get noticed. These updates can range from cheap and easy to fix, to, well you guessed it, timely and expensive.

If the house you are selling has a garage, that will be part of the inspection. Having a newer garage door opener in your garage not only adds value but adds safety too. Newer garage door openers include many safety features that older ones didn’t. A lot of these new features are also required by state laws!

Some things that can be included in an inspection of the garage can be found here in this Sectional Garage Door Opener and Electric Operator Checklist for Home Inspectors and Consumers provided by DASMA (Door & Access Systems Manufacturers Association International). This checklist has items that will be looked at such as:

• Manual Release Handles
• Warning Labels
• Door Panels
• Door Operation
• Wall Buttons
• Safe-T-Beam Sensors

As mentioned prior, some of these items are inspected do to state laws. For example as referenced here on the FederalRegister.gov, since 1993, all residential garage door openers sold in the united stated are required to have a safety reversing feature, such as Safe-T-Beams. Another law requires the wall push button to be mounted at least five feet above the floor, to keep out of the reach of children.

Released as far back as 1992 from the Consumer Product Safety Commission the Final Rules for Automatic Garage Door Openers included these as well as Safety UL 325 standards.

More recently the State of California put law CA SB-969 into effect requiring all residential garage door openers sold or installed in California after July 1^st, 2019 must be equipped with a battery backup.

These are all easy to make sure you have in order before selling your home but are equally as important even if you are not selling it!

Genie is committed to bringing State-of-the-Art Security and Safety Systems into your home. We add many more innovative features and technology, beyond what is required by law. 

If you have a very old garage door opener, without the required safety features, it may be time to upgrade it to a new Genie Garage Door Opener. We have many options to fit all residential application types.

If you already have a Genie garage door opener, you are in luck, we have many replacement parts and accessories to keep your garage door opener functioning flawlessly. We have Safe-T-Beams, Wall Consoles, Remotes, Battery Backups and more to help you get your opener ready for the inspection. Using OEM replacement products helps ensure you are not creating a hazard, and that you are getting quality products staying within the recommended regulations and guidelines.

Update your garage with these replacements: