Technology is an evolving trend that affects all of our lives. These advances have made it possible to integrate technology into your home. Who would have thought that you could have automated solutions to help you park your car, have secondary power source for your garage door operator, automatically close your garage door and even notify you when you garage door is open. With all the technology, these different accessories require almost no tools. There are a few products currently available in the market. From the Chamberlain Group there is the 975LM Laser Parking Guiding Assistant. The hanging tennis ball on a string can now be replaced with the new high-tech laser solution.



This high-tech solution helps you park perfectly in the garage, the first time. It's an easy DIY project which requires minimal to no tools. This should be a standard for all garage door opener installation.It is a simple to read red circle on the dashboard which takes the guesswork out of where to stop and can prevent accidents before they happen. The Laser Garage Parking Assist is a "must-have" garage door opener accessory.

To aid in the operation of your garage door operator when the power goes out we have a product from ONkor Technologies who has 2 different models of garage door operator battery back-up systems. The ONkor 3000 & 3000 PLUS are easy to install power backup systems for home garage door operators. In the event of any household power failure, the ONkor battery back-up unit operates the door through several cycles without being connected to electrical power. Once power is restored, the ONkor unit automatically recharges and will be ready for the next unexpected power failure. The ONkor 3000 is designed to cover virtually every type and model of garage door system with ? hp motors or less. The ONkor 3000 provides solid power delivery for larger garage doors as well as longer lasting door operation for family lifestyles utilizing the garage for frequent entry and exit.

For those who are fearful of their garage door being open there is a product available to make you feel more secure. Skylink Technologies' product, the GM-318, is designed to monitor the status of your garage door and advise you if the door is open - another easy DIY project that can be installed in minutes. The GM-318 consists of a transmitter sensor placed on the door panel and a receiver. You will be alerted when the door is opened by a beep and flash from the receiver base. The Skylink monitoring system is upgradeable to 4 sensors. As the three car garage doors have become more popular, Skylink has geared up their accessory line to accommodate this growing trend. For those homeowners who sometimes forget if they have closed their garage door or not, we have a product for you.

The AutoCloser by Xceltronics, attaches to most residential garage door openers and will automatically close the door after setting it to the factory preset closing times. The times can be set to 2, 5, 10, 15 or 20 minutes. AutoCloser comes equipped with a disable button that can be activated to allow the door to remain open if needed. The Autocloser uses the patent-pending SmartClose? and SmartDetect? technology which delivers the safest and most reliable product on the market. The AutoCloser was designed to add security to existing garage door openers. "According to statistics compiled by major metropolitan police departments, approximately half of all residential burglaries occur from open garage doors. The AutoCloser addresses the need to keep your garage door closed by automatically shutting your garage door if you inadvertently leave it open." An additional option available is the exclusive I-Opener system which provides secure garage access with easy reprogramming to deactivate lost or stolen keys, and due to its circuitry, it is resistant to lightning.

With all of these different accessories available, this should help in making your every day routines with your garage simpler and feel more secure.

Martial Maitam is the CEO for Marwest Access Controls Inc., a Canoga Park, Calif.-based distributor of access-control and other products for the door industry. To reach him, call 800.849.3998; visit www.aaaremotes.com.