How much does it cost to run a garage door opener?
A typical garage door opener draws about 350 watts. Used 0.1 hours a day, that works out to roughly $0.01 per day, $0.18 per month, and $2.17 per year on an average electricity rate of 17¢ per kWh. Brief bursts of power mean garage openers cost almost nothing yearly.
Garage Door Opener running cost calculator
- Per day
- $0.01
- Per month
- $0.18
- Per year
- $2.17
- CO₂ / year
- 5.1 kg
Based on 12.8 kWh per year. Adjust the price per kWh to match your latest electricity bill for an exact figure.
The number that matters most is your own electricity rate. Rates range from under 11¢ per kWh in some regions to over 30¢ in others, so the same garage door opener can cost two or three times as much depending on where you live. Enter your exact rate in the calculator above to get a figure tailored to your bill.
Over a full year this garage door opener uses about 12.8 kWh of electricity and is responsible for roughly 5.1 kg of CO₂ emissions on an average grid. Reducing run time, or switching to a more efficient model, lowers both the cost and the footprint.
If this garage door opener is one you use daily, even small efficiency gains compound. Cutting its usage or wattage by 20% would save around $0.43 every year — money that an efficient replacement can recover over its lifetime.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does it cost to run a garage door opener per hour?
- At 350 watts and a 17¢/kWh rate, a garage door opener costs about $0.06 per hour to run.
- How much electricity does a garage door opener use per month?
- Running 0.1 hours a day, a garage door opener uses roughly 1.1 kWh per month, costing about $0.18.
- Is a garage door opener expensive to run?
- Not particularly — at around $2.17 per year, a garage door opener is a relatively minor part of most electricity bills.
- How can I reduce my garage door opener running costs?
- Use it during off-peak hours if your utility offers time-of-use pricing, reduce daily run time, and consider an ENERGY STAR rated garage door opener, which uses less power for the same job.