The best way to fully appreciate the luxury of an automatic garage door opener is to find yourself in your driveway clicking frantically and staring at it in bewilderment until you realize there are no lights on inside your home. When the power goes out, electric garage doors don’t respond to automatic openers, threats, insults or yelling. To get in, you’ll just have to open your front door. You do carry a key, don’t you? Since power outages often occur in bad weather, there’s a good chance you’ll get wet on the way. If you’re really unlucky, your yard will be muddy, your neighbors will see you flailing and grabbing at trees, and your car will get pelted with hail while you wait for electric contractors to work their magic.
Getting Stuck Inside Is Just as Bad
If your car is already in your garage when the blackout hits, it’ll be safe from hail and wind, but it’s also trapped. A severe storm could knock your power out for days or weeks. Even if you’re an expert in blackout preparedness, there are sure to be a million reasons you need to get on the road. You could open the door manually from inside, but then you’d have to either leave it open until you return, or open it from outside by slipping a coat hanger inside to activate the manual release lever. It’s important to note that if you can do this, so can burglars. If your door is large and heavy, lifting it manually might be too physically difficult for older or smaller family members anyway.
Battery Backups Are the Answer
To prevent getting locked out, get a garage door battery backup system, and never worry about these problems again. With a backup power source in place, you won’t need electricity to get in or out of your garage. Many batteries have three-year lifespans, so you won’t need to replace them frequently. Most modern garage door models include a power backup, so if your door is old and needs to be replaced anyway, the solution is simple. Call your garage door contractor to see what options are available—you’ll thank yourself when the next storm hits.
Call the Overhead Door Company: We’ve Got Your Backup
Overhead Door Company of Portland understands the value of security and convenience, and we can help you enjoy both with a quality garage door and battery backup system that guarantees you won’t get left in the cold when the lights go out. At Overhead, we’ve been installing and servicing premium garage doors for Portland residents and businesses since 1929, and we stand behind every door we install for the life of the product. Contact us today to learn more about our advanced battery backup opening systems, and look forward to a dryer, safer future.
