Why Do I Need a Backup Battery for My Garage Door Opener?

The purpose of a backup battery for your garage door opener is to allow for continued use in the event that the electricity that fuels the opener becomes inaccessible. The last thing you want during a power outage is to climb on top of your car with a flashlight and teach yourself how the machine operates in order to manually open it. Can you imagine being the only family in your neighborhood who can't flee the hurricane or tornado because you can't get your car out of the garage? 

Power Outage

Your garage door opener is currently plugged into an electrical outlet or hard-wired into your home's grid. If the breaker trips, or if your neighbor hits a power pole again, a power outage could make it impossible to open your garage door without a battery backup.

Bad Weather

Storms can cause power outages and they make life difficult enough without trapping you in your home. There's never a convenient time for your garage door to stop functioning, but if you're planning to leave the house in a storm, you've got enough on your mind already. And after the storm, when everyone else is cleaning up and recovering, you don't need to be trapped, waiting for the power to be restored so you can get your garage door open.

Emergency

Power outages and bad weather can cause their own emergencies. It's true that you can manually open the door once you've looked over the mechanisms, but emergencies are unpredictable. Can you imagine breaking the arm that does the heavy lifting, only to discover that you can't bypass the garage door opener at the time you need it the most? 

Many newer garage door openers come with battery backups. It might sound like a frivolous novelty, but it can be extremely valuable in an emergency. Aftermarket battery backups are also available, and can be attached to your pre-existing garage door opener, as well.

For more garage door information, contact the team at Town & Country Door today!