If you live in an area where power outages are common, a backup battery is essential for your garage door opener.
There are a number of reasons these power sources are necessary. Keep reading to find out what you’re missing if you don’t have a backup battery in place.
California wildfires lead to legal changes for garage door manufacturers
California is notorious for its wildfires, which have only increased in their threat level and destruction capabilities over the years as temperatures have increased and rainfall amounts have dropped. After the wildfires of 2018, which was one of the worst in many years, a new law was implemented that now requires all new residential garage door openers to include a battery backup.
The bill was signed in September 2018 and all home builders and garage door opener manufacturers must comply with the new guidelines. What do garage doors have to do with wildfires, though?
According to reports, a fair number of situations involving trapped residents also involved garage doors that could not be operated manually, causing them to sustain more serious injuries and even causing some to perish simply because they had no way out of their residence. If there is no other access door to the garage, it is very dangerous not to have a backup battery in place.
As climate change continues to impact the entire planet, the fire risk could spread due to more areas seeing low humidity, high winds, and higher temperatures than ever before. With these types of conditions, plants and trees essentially become matchsticks, and wildfires could become a threat in areas beyond where they typically occur.
Fortunately, California has a large population and a huge residential housing market. Therefore, it’s likely that leading brands like LiftMaster and Chamberlain will increase the number of garage door openers that they produce with built-in backup power supplies.
Keep your door balanced
One of the biggest things to remember is that your electric opener is only replacing the work that you can do manually. If your door is out of balance, manual operation and backup power still might not be able to help in the event of a power outage.
A balanced garage door should be easily lifted with one hand, as it will feel like it weighs less than 10 pounds. It will also be easier for an opener to lift the door, and especially on limited auxiliary or backup power when it is properly balanced.
The weight of a garage door, including all of the sections and hardware (hinges, rollers, struts, windows, etc.) is actually quite substantial. Even “lightweight” metal doors can weigh as much as 125 pounds (57 kg) for a single door or 250 pounds (114 kg) for a double garage door. If the door is a heavier metal or solid wood, it can weigh as much as 350 pounds or more.
How is the door balanced to alleviate this weight? A torsion or extension spring system on the door is responsible for providing a counterbalance, bringing the door to a manageable weight for both electric and manual operation.
Check your door for balance by pulling the red emergency cord with the door in the down position. Then, use the manual handles to lift the door. If effort is required, your door is probably out of balance. You should check this every couple of months, or more frequently if the door sees excessive use. If anything is out of balance, don’t try to fix it yourself. Instead, contact us so our experienced techs can fix it safely and properly.
How battery backup works
Like any rechargeable battery, the backup is designed to work for a limited amount of time before needing to be charged. It takes approximately 4.5 hours to charge a battery through the electric garage door opener motor. One charge will provide enough power to operate the door about 20 times.
This battery will be located in or near the motor housing, depending on the model of LiftMaster or Chamberlain garage door opener that you have. The backup battery is also going to be connected to the safety reverse system (also known as the photoelectric reverse sensor system), allowing that to remain in working order while the main power is out.
LiftMaster/Chamberlain models available
Those with newer LiftMaster or Chamberlain brand door openers may notice a Battery Backup logo on the housing of the motor. This means that your door either has a backup battery pre-installed or it is adaptable for a future installation.
WARNING: The garage door opener motor must be a Direct Current (DC) motor to be integrated with a battery backup. Alternating Current (AC) motors are not compatible with backup battery supplies.
Available LiftMaster models:
It is fairly simple to integrate battery backups into any of these models when they do not come preinstalled. Plus, these openers are equipped with MyQ technology, allowing you to monitor and operate the door from an app on your smartphone, laptop, or another smart device. They can also be integrated with other smart home features.
Learn more today…
If you live in Newfoundland & Labrador, you need to contact us today. You can reach us at 709-368-7222 to learn everything about battery backup and electric garage door openers from our experienced technicians. We can help you find the right solutions for your home, and all without ruining your budget.
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