Power outages happen in San Diego County, from storms and equipment failures to planned Public Safety Power Shutoffs during high-wind days in fire country. When the power goes, a garage door opener without backup stops working and the car is stuck inside.
Here is how to open the door safely by hand, and how battery backup keeps you from having to.
1. How to open your garage door by hand
- Make sure the door is fully closed if possible. Pulling the release on an open door can let it drop.
- Pull the red emergency release cord hanging from the opener rail. Pull it down and toward the back of the garage.
- Lift the door from the bottom handle. A balanced door should lift with moderate effort and stay put halfway.
- To lock it again, close the door. The trolley re-engages the next time the opener runs, or you can pull the cord toward the door.
If the door is hard to lift or won't stay up, a spring may be broken. Don't force it open; that is how people get hurt. Call a technician.
2. California requires battery backup on new openers
Since July 1, 2019, California law (SB 969) requires residential garage door openers sold or installed in the state to have a battery backup that works during a power outage. The law came after the 2017 wildfires, when some residents could not get their cars out of their garages.
If your opener was installed before mid-2019, it probably has no backup. When you replace it, the new one must include one.
Look for a battery compartment or a separate battery unit on the motor housing, or check the model number in the manual.
3. Keeping the backup battery healthy
- Backup batteries usually last a few years. Many openers beep or flash a light when the battery is weak.
- Test it once or twice a year: unplug the opener and run the door.
- Replace the battery when it no longer completes a few open-close cycles on its own.
- A battery-backed opener runs slower on battery power, which is normal.
4. Fire season and Public Safety Power Shutoffs
In the backcountry and wildland edges of the county, including Ramona, Alpine, Lakeside and Jamul, SDG&E may cut power on high-wind days to reduce fire risk. Shutoffs can last many hours. If you live in one of these areas, battery backup is a must, and you should know how to use the manual release before you need it.
Before fire season
- Test the backup battery.
- Practice the manual release once in daylight.
- Keep the car facing out if an evacuation is possible.
- Keep a flashlight near the door into the garage.
5. Next steps
- Find the red release cord and learn how it works.
- Check whether your opener has battery backup.
- If it doesn't, consider an upgrade to a current opener with backup and Wi-Fi.
See our opener installation and repair service.
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