The Most Needed Garage Door Opener Accessory: Backup Battery System

How many times have you been unable to open your garage door, and locked out of your house, after a storm or power outage? If you don’t want to spend time and money waiting for a garage door contractor to get you in, you can make your garage door more reliable with a battery backup system. Read on to learn more about backup batteries, how they work, if you need to replace your existing garage door, and how much they cost.

Overview of Garage Door Opener Backup Batteries

What is a garage door opener backup battery? It is a 12-volt battery that is mounted or installed over top of the motor that operates the garage door opener or is installed inside of the motor housing. They’re relatively small and generally brand-specific. Over-the-motor batteries are usually 31x21x14cm while those inserted in the motor housing are 9x20x7cm. For the battery to work properly, the brand of backup battery needs to match the brand of garage door opener you have.

How does a backup battery for garage door opener work? If there is a power outage in your home, the fully-charged battery will supply up to 24 hours of backup power to your garage door. Alternately, a backup battery will give you up to 10 open/close cycles before needing to be recharged. The battery recharges in 4.5 hours from your home’s electricity. Garage door backup batteries are recyclable. When it’s time to replace the old battery with a new one, you’ll hear a beep or see a red or orange light flash every 3-30 seconds, depending on the model.

Installing a Battery Backup for Your Garage Door

Do I need to have a new garage door installed to get a battery backup? Not necessarily. Some existing garage door models, manufactured as far back as the early 2000’s, were made with the ability to add a backup battery. A garage door contractor can tell you if your brand is battery-ready.

How much does the backup battery for a garage door opener cost? You’ll be pleased to know that adding a backup battery to your garage door opener is not very expensive. The actual cost will vary depending on the type of garage door you have and whether the battery needs to be installed on top of the motor or inside of the motor’s housing. Keep in mind that adding a backup battery to your existing door is less costly than buying an all-new garage door with a built-in backup battery.

Add a Battery Backup to Your Garage Door

Next time you need any type of garage door service, consider adding a backup battery to make your garage door opener more reliable. You’ll save time and money next time there’s a power outage. Contact a garage door repair contractor for more information on the right type of garage door battery backup system for you.