Obviously, your garage door opener needs power to operate: no electricity and the garage door opener can't work. But, just because the utility can’t provide power doesn't mean you have to go without.
Consider the following options:
- Link your garage door opener to your home’s back-up generator
- Install a garage door opener with a dedicated battery back-up system
The best solution is to have a back-up generator that kicks in when the big storm hits and lines go down. Typically, these are set to operate vital appliances, such as a fridge full of groceries you just bought, when a storm hits. Most people don't think to include their garage door opener in this loop.
Since the garage door opener is a relatively low-wattage consumer, and it only uses that electricity when raising and lowering your garage door, it doesn’t steal significant and vital energy from other appliances. Tying the garage door opener to the back-up generator will go a long way to keeping you operational in a blackout.
Another solution is to get a garage door opener that has its own battery back-up for just such an emergency. Most newer models come with this feature. If you are in the marker for a new garage door opener in Northern Illinois, whether you are upgrading, or your garage door opener is part of a new-construction project, consider getting this option.
If you have a garage door opener that lacks this feature, don't worry. You can retrofit most garage door openers with this option. Ask your garage door service provider to install this for you and you will be ready for the fury of Northern Illinois storms.
No Back Up Power Source
In the instances that your back-up device fails or you just don't have one, you can still use your garage door. All garage door openers feature a manual release latch, on the inside of the garage, so that you can operate your door without power (if you’re stuck outside, this is a problem).
You have to do the lifting yourself, but you can get your car in and out of the garage. When you get your power back, you just reconnect the release to let your garage door opener do the work for you again. If you have problems reconnecting, call your garage door professional for guidance on how to do this with your particular model.
Problems Caused by Outages
A power surge or power outage from a storm can damage your garage door and garage door opener. Manually raising and lowering your garage door puts more wear on the hardware than having the garage door opener do the work. The computer board in your garage door opener makes this process happen in a smooth and constant fashion that increases the lifespan of your garage door hardware.
A big surge can affect the electronics in your garage door opener. That may mean that the lights on the sensors may burn out, or the overhead light. This can cause inconvenience and a malfunction. A big enough surge could take out the computer board in the garage door opener, preventing it from working. Call your garage door professional if this occurs.
Can't Get In
The last thing to consider when the power goes out is how you can get in your house if the garage door opener fails to work? Most homeowners in Northern Illinois enter and exit their homes only through their garage door. That can be a problem if you don’t carry a key for another door.
Mother Nature can rage all she wants, but you and your garage door opener can withstand her worst if you plan to keep your garage door opener working when the power goes out. And then you’ll always have a way to get yourself in when the power is out.
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