Isn’t it great to be home during the holidays?
Well, at least mostly. It is rather dark in the winter, and as the winter solstice comes the days get shorter, limiting the amount of light and energy available throughout the day, so everyone feels a little more tired. Then one day you get home, cold from a day of work and ready to enjoy a warm house and hot cocoa. You reach over and hit your garage door opener and… nothing happens. It can’t be your door opener remote or the battery—you recently changed it. Oh no! It looks like you have to reprogram your LiftMaster by Chamberlain garage door opener!
Yeah, the decorations look nice, but I bet you weren’t even looking at the Christmas tree! Can’t blame you—that pair of garage doors is a North Hatley LP Design in Moka Brown with 8-lite Orion windows.
You made a good choice buying a LiftMaster by Chamberlain garage door!
But now you have an opener that you’ve decided to install yourself. Or, some other malfunction has you in need of reprogramming instructions. No worries, this guide will show you how to do it.
Take a Moment. Are You Ready?
There’s some critical information you need to know before starting:
- Adjustment to the door’s travail limits will disrupt the safety reversal system if the inputs are inaccurate.
- Any extra force your garage door opener needs to close your garage door, because of dirty tracks or inclement weather, may cause the safety reversal system to not function.
- NEVER use force adjustment methods if your garage door opener model is older. This will not make for a binding garage door and is DANGEROUS.
- ALWAYS TEST your garage door after reprogramming the opener.
- ALWAYS TEST to ensure your garage door safety reversal system is still functioning after reprogramming the opener.
- ALWAYS TEST if your garage door offers the clearance you need for tall vehicles like vans, trucks, and SUVs.
A functioning safety reversal system is VITAL for home safety. Children, pets, loved ones, and friends could be INJURED or KILLED by a suddenly closing garage door. If you feel uncomfortable with this task, are not a handyperson, or are not skilled in this area, reconsider doing this work yourself. Instead, contact one of the LiftMaster Chamberlain technicians near you.
A garage door is likely the largest moving piece of machinery in your home. It is under an extreme amount of pressure that can become incredibly dangerous when handled improperly. Sometimes it’s best to leave this work to the experts.
Look, an unsung hero! It’s a LiftMaster Chamberlain technician working on a garage door opener.
12 Steps: How to Program the Travel on a LiftMaster Chamberlain Garage Door Opener
- Make sure the garage door is completely shut but not disengaged. Double-check that your trolley is close to the garage door.
- Next, locate the adjustment buttons for the garage door opener. Button location will change on different devices. The examples provided can help you find them on different LiftMaster or Chamberlain models.
- Once found, press and hold the black square button. The UP arrow should begin to flash, OR you’ll hear a BEEP. This means your opener can now be set in the OPEN POSITION.
- Press and hold the UP or DOWN arrows. Do so until your garage door is fully opened. This is now the UP POSITION.
- Press and release the black square button again. The opener lights will flash 2 times. This time the DOWN arrow will blink. The OPEN POSITION is LOCKED and now you must program the CLOSE POSITION.
- Press and hold the DOWN arrow until your garage door is fully closed.
- Press and release the black square button. The unit’s light will again flash 2 times. The UP arrow will begin flashing again. This confirms that the DOWN POSITION is LOCKED. We now can set up the force programming mode.
- Press and release the UP arrow. After reaching the new UP POSITION, the DOWN arrow will flash.
- Press and release the DOWN arrow. The door will close to the new DOWN POSITION. The reprograming processes in finished!
GOOD TO KNOW
- If the unit’s lights flash 5 times during these steps on a MyQ garage door opener, the reprogramming session has timed out.
- If the lights flash 10 times during these steps while working with a MyQ garage door opener, the safety reversing sensors are misaligned or obstructed.
- ALWAYS do another run of the garage door after programming. If an obstruction is found, clear it and run another cycle.
- NEVER use the yellow round button on the unit while programming the garage door in this way. It is for accessories ONLY.
- Reprogramming is completed but the job is not! After ANY adjustments are made to your garage door opener, you MUST test the safety reversal system. To get more guidance, read this instruction manual from US Inspect.
- After this, use a remote control, smartphone, or keypad to close the garage door.
- You’ll know if the system is working if the door reverses when striking or sensing that 2x4.
Don’t Put Your Family at Risk! Consider Replacing Your Old Garage Door Opener Instead!
WOW—a new garage door opener just because I can’t reprogram my own?
It may sound crazy, but if you have a garage door opener that’s more than 8 years old, you might be due for some vital safety measures that weren’t included in old garage door openers. Two major innovations have occurred in garage door openers (one in 1993 and the other in 2012) that can improve the safety of your home! Let’s explore.
If your LiftMaster or Chamberlain garage door opener is from before 1993 do NOT attempt to reprogram it!
This garage door opener is a hazard and you SHOULD replace it! Since 1993, all garage door openers fabricated in the US and Canada include several safety reversal systems that protect you, your family, friends, and pets from a gruesome or fatal injury.
Don’t let an avoidable accident bring tragedy to your home—update your garage door opener quickly.
These 2 Necessary Safety Systems on Your LiftMaster Chamberlain Garage Door Opener Can Save Lives
- #1: The first technical innovation is mechanical. A sensor on the opener can understand if the door hits resistance as it descends and it tells the door to reverse before crushing the object.
- #2: This second innovation is photoelectric. Two small units are installed roughly half a foot up the wall on either side of the garage doors. One sends out aninfrared beam that the other unit receives. If the beam is broken during a door close, the opener motor will automatically reverse the door before the obstruction is hit.
“Oh no, girls! What did I tell you about playing by the garage!” Thank goodness little Sally’s foot breaks the infrared light and stops the garage door before serious damage is done. With automatic door reversals, there’re no injuries and no drama. Just your kids having fun. Isn’t technology great?
Need more evidence to prove how worthwhile a new garage door opener is? Explore the effectiveness of photocell safety beams and uncover the truth about the urban legend about planes opening garage doors (spoiler: they are true!).
You must be relieved if your LiftMaster Chamberlain garage door opener was made after 1993…
You may think that there is nothing for you to worry about, and you can save your money for that new entertainment set you’ve been eyeing instead of worrying about your garage door opener! Well, that wouldn’t be entirely true. With the turn of the 21st century lies the innovation of 2012, so let’s learn about those too.
To ensure that the garage door opener you have has rolling code technology, look for the above label on the Chamberlain, LiftMaster, or Craftsman garage door opener unit.
Since 2012, Chamberlain’s garage door openers have had another great innovation, Security+2.0. Before this point, there was a chance your garage door could open from a neighbor—or even an intruder—who pressed a wireless door opener button. No longer. Now, rolling code technology creates new security codes that make it so only you can open your garage door.
With more than 100 billion possible codes that the specialized algorithm “rolls” through, each new code ensures that no one can get into your garage even if they have a previously used code. Even stolen remotes are useless for getting into your home!
That Leaves One Question: How Do I Find Out When My Garage Door Opener Was Made?
These are the major models of LiftMaster or Chamberlain garage door openers. These are common sticker locations with all the essential information you need.
If you want to know when it’s made, look for a sticker on the unit. This sticker will havea lot of important information written on it like the model and serial numbers. These numbers are important when contacting a local garage door specialist.
Fin the MFG date on the sticker. This is when the unit was manufactured, including which year it was made in.
No worries, if your garage door opener is a Chamberlain made, but not a LiftMaster model, this FAQ can help you find your unit’s MFG date.
Now You Understand Why You Need a New Garage Door Opener. But How Do You Choose?
There are a lot of garage door openers on the market—it can be overwhelming, we know! Figure out how to pick the best unit for you in a flash.
Ask yourself a few questions: Is the ceiling in the garage low or cathedral? Do you have or want storage above your car? Are there windows over your garage door?
Look at this stand-out modern garage door. This is the Vog Design with windows above the door. In this case, a wall-mounted LiftMaster 8500W garage door opener is necessary for an automatic door opener to function. A residential Jackshaft-type opener is engineered to fit unique garage shapes. It mounts easily on either side of the wall and sits beside the garage door. Plus, it arrives with a complimentary remote 1500-Lumen light that can be installed anywhere in your garage.
If the garage is attached to your house, is it below someone’s bedroom? Near the kitchen or living room? Here’s another reason for upgrading.
Loving this Chocolate Walnut garage door? It is a 1-car sized door in the style of Prestige XL Design, with simple Pinhead windows.
Having a garage near active living spaces means you want your garage door to open QUIETLY. Anything that opens with a giant chain is going to be noisy, no matter how much oil you use. And while they are a little less expensive, they are also so LOUD! If you want ease and quiet, you need an opening system that uses a rubber BELT instead of a chain.
No, you say, that’s an exaggeration. But have you ever been upset after being awakened from a nap in the living room because the garage door is obnoxiously loud? That’s what we thought…
Consider these 2 LiftMaster units that use belts:
Replacing the LiftMaster 8550, this garage door opener has a super quiet rubber belt-drive system. Plus, it comes with a battery backup, a built-in camera, and a 2-way audio system that’s completely compatible with the MyQ app. This means that you can connect your garage door opener to your smartphone, computer, or another smart device to access the camera in the unit. You heard that right: you can virtually look into your garage at ANY time. You can even talk to people in your garage.
Not everyone is into connecting their smartphone to everything though. Instead, consider the LiftMaster 84501 which is another device driven by a rubber belt-drive system. It operates quietly and can still connect to the MyQ app, but it does NOT include a battery backup.
Still Have Questions? Ask the Experts!
It can be overwhelming purchasing a garage door opener. Most people only do it once or twice in their lives! Plus, since it’s a big investment into the safety of your home and often requires some construction work, you need to really think about your options.
If you pick the right door opener it could easily last 25 years. While you’re at it, a new door will also create curb appeal and add to your home’s resale value too. So don’t rush into this decision, talk to an expert first.
In fact, WE’RE experts. At Midway Garage Doors, overhead doors and garage door openers are all we do. Have a friendly chat with our experts and our team will be able to walk you through all your garage door questions and help you figure out what your particular needs are. All while keeping your budget in mind.
Contact us at 330-889-0062!
Already found the garage door solutions you’ve been dreaming of?
Send us an email and get a quote.
Would you like to shop around a bit before making a major decision?
Take a look at our residential photo gallery. Inspired to make your own design? Grab your smartphone and try our Design Centre. Have fun experimenting with designs and picking the best door for your home. You can even test out what it will look like on your own home with the program’s nifty features.
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