Do You Need a Backup Battery for Your Garage Door Opener?

All is well until you realize you can’t get out of your garage. That’s why we encourage homeowners to consider their options before this happens. In case of power outages, a backup battery system provides a way to get in and out easily without needing to lift the heavy door manually.

If your garage door opener didn’t come built with battery backup, we’ve laid out the pros and cons below of installing one.

What Does a Backup Battery Do, Exactly?

A garage door’s backup battery kicks in when the main source of power—the electricity—gets cut off or shuts down. The battery keeps your garage door opener running so that you don’t have to worry about getting in and out during a power outage.

On average, these 12-volt power sources only work for a short time until electric power gets restored:

  • Up to 24 hours of garage door power OR
  • Up to 10 open & close cycles

Backup Battery Pros & Cons

Garage door manufacturers have built new doors with the option to add a battery backup system. Your local garage door installer can easily add one to your garage door opener for a fraction of the cost of replacing your garage door. Backup batteries provide another option for getting in or out of the garage more easily during a power outage.

However, backup batteries typically have a short life, so you’ll want to take extra precautions. Do the following preventative checks of the garage door to ensure you’re able to operate it during the next power outage with or without the help of battery backup:

  • Check for a red emergency release cord; you can use this to manually operate your door.
  • Ensure your garage door is in good working order throughout the year in case you do need to life it yourself—i.e., annual lube & adjustment.

Garage Door Battery Backup: The Choice Is Yours

Whether or not you decide to install a backup battery in your garage door opener, you can count on the team at Larry Myers to be your expert resource on all things garage doors. If you’re looking to upgrade your garage door opener or can’t decide on a garage door for your home, we’re here to help. Find out more about the services we offer here.