The wireless keypad role for homeowners is changing from a luxury item to a necessity for more people these days. This growing trend is especially apparent with families that have school-aged children. Many of them are installing keypads as an alternative to giving their children keys to the house that could easily be lost or misplaced. As more families depend on both parents having to work, the term “Latchkey Kids” is changing to “Keypad Kids”.
 
In a recent survey conducted by The Chamberlain Group, 33 percent of parents who have a keypad to open the garage door said it was the preferred way for their kids to enter the home, and only 22 percent still used the traditional key. Only 8 percent of the kids carried a remote control and 14 percent reported leaving a door unlocked as the means of entry for their kids. Out of the parents surveyed 72 percent claimed they felt safer having their kids use a keypad over a key to gain entry to the home and 44 percent believed the keypad is easier for the kids.

However, wireless keypads are not just used as a convenience for kids. Out of all the people that were surveyed who had been locked out of their homes, 60 percent reported that it was because they left their keys behind. Having a keypad for the garage door would have solved many of their frustrations. It is a fact that the garage door is becoming the most popular way of entry for many homeowners, 58 percent surveyed said they used their garage door as the primary method of entry to their home.
 
A keypad, either wireless or wired, can be installed on just about any garage door opener. Wireless keypads are the easiest to install. All that is required is programming the keypad for the garage door opener and mounting it with 2 screws to a wooden surface close to the door opening. If a wireless keypad is not available for your model, there are several wired keypads that will work on just about any garage door opener, as they connect to the push button connection on the door opener. The Domino GD-1 is a battery powerd, hard wired keypad compatible with any garage door opener as it connects the the garage door openers push button connections making it quite easy to install. Note: Keep in mind that the keypad must be installed in a safe manner especially if the door is a tilt-up type. You do not want the keypad mounted where the door can hit the person operating the keypad.

The information for this guide is based on a news story from the Door & Access Systems magazine, Fall 2006.