Garage Door Opener Battery Backup: Is It Worth Having?
A battery backup lets a garage door opener raise and lower the door when the power is out. It is worth having if the garage is your main way into the house or if you lose power often. It will not help with a broken spring.
How a battery backup works
A small rechargeable battery sits in or beside the opener. When the power fails it takes over and runs the motor. Many newer openers include one. Older openers may accept an add on kit. The number of cycles you get varies by model so check the manual.
Who should consider one
- Homes where the garage is the only door you use
- People who find it hard to lift a door by hand
- Homes in areas where winter storms cut power
- Anyone who relies on a car parked inside during an outage
What a backup does not do
It does not fix a stuck door or a broken part. If a spring has failed the opener cannot lift the door even with a full battery. Our article on opening a garage door with a broken spring explains why.
A battery also wears out. Plan to replace it on the schedule in your manual and test it now and then.
The manual release is still the plan B
Every opener has a red release cord. If the power fails and you have no backup you can pull it and lift the door by hand. See our manual release guide for how and when to use it.
Choosing an opener with a backup
When you shop for a new opener look for a built in battery or a clear add on option. Compare it with smart opener features and the drive types. Our opener installation page explains how replacement works.
Thinking about a new opener?
Call or send a message. Ask which models include a backup battery.