Prevent Power Outage Lockouts With a Garage Door Repair
A garage door is a major convenience feature of any home, but when it comes to an emergency or disaster situation (either man-made or courtesy of Mother Nature), it can also present a real security risk. That’s because your garage door and opener are powered by electricity. During some disasters, power outages are the norm. Either the service provider shuts off the electricity supply due to safety concerns, or the power lines themselves become damaged and fall across streets and neighborhoods. A garage door repair can make sure that you are always able to get into your garage.
What Causes the Garage Door to Not Lock During a Power Outage
If you have an unexpected power outage, the garage door will remain unlocked while the power is out, leading to a garage door repair. This may be due to the following issues.
Circuit Breaker
If your garage door does not lock during a power outage, it could be caused by the circuit breaker. The circuit breaker protects the garage door from receiving too much power. If you have a double-pole circuit breaker, then you may need a garage door repair for the garage door to operate properly.
Broken Trolley Carriage
A broken trolley carriage is another common cause of an unsecured garage door during a power outage. A trolley carriage is what allows the lift mechanism to move up and down when opening and closing the door. If this part breaks, there will be no way for your garage door to move up or down without assistance from someone else who can manually push it. You will need to replace this part for your garage door to work properly again.
Stripped Gears
Stripped gear is another problem that can cause your garage door installation not to lock during a power outage. When you pull up the emergency release cord, it should disengage all the gears so that you can manually open and close your garage door without any problems. If one of these gears becomes damaged or stripped out due to a power outage, then it becomes difficult to lock the garage door without a garage door repair.
Worn Plastic Gears
The plastic gears that operate the garage door opener can wear out over time. If the gear teeth are worn, it will be difficult for the motor to turn the gear as it should. This will make it appear as though your garage door is locked, but in reality, it’s just not moving because the motor isn’t able to turn the gear. It’s important to have garage door repairs as soon as possible as they can cause very dangerous situations if they’re not replaced.
Manual Lock Not Engaged
If you’ve had problems with your garage door installation locking during power outages, this may be due to a faulty manual lock mechanism. Suppose you have an older model garage door or one with a manual lock instead of an automatic one. In that case, you’ll want to look into replacing it so that you can manually lock your garage door during an outage without having to climb up and down from your ladder every time there’s an outage.
Cables Are Dislodged
If your garage door fails to close or open while there is no power going to it, check the cables first because they tend to get dislodged during storms or high winds. You may need someone who specializes in servicing garage doors if your cables are broken or damaged so they can be repaired or replaced.
The Garage Door Opener Battery Has Gone Bad
If your garage door opener is not working and you have a power outage, the most likely cause is that the battery has gone bad and needs garage door repairs. Most garage door openers use a rechargeable battery for the remote control. These batteries generally last about two years before needing to be replaced. If you have a backup garage door opener, check it to see if it works.
The Wi-Fi Signal May Be Poor Due to the Blackout
The garage door opener is designed to lock itself during a power outage. However, if you have a weak Wi-Fi signal or your battery is low, it will not lock. You should check your router’s connection during a power outage to ensure that it is working properly and not experiencing any problems with its signal strength or bandwidth. If this doesn’t resolve the issue, you may have a faulty sensor that needs to be replaced or repaired.
Which Garage Door Repair Will Ensure It Locks During a Power Outage
Let’s say you have a garage door controlled by electricity: An outage means your garage door will not lock and protect the inside of your house from outside intruders. There are several ways to ensure your garage door will lock during a power outage.
Install a Generator
A generator is one of the best ways to ensure that garage doors in Long Beach will lock in the event of an outage. If your garage door opener has an emergency battery backup, it should be able to operate independently of your main power source — but only as long as it has enough juice to do so. A generator will keep the batteries charged, ensuring they won’t lose power and become useless after only a few days without electricity.
Get a Wi-Fi Adapter
If you have an existing automatic remote control for your garage door opener, consider buying a Wi-Fi adapter that plugs into the wall outlet near where you keep your remote controller. The Wi-Fi adapter will allow you to control your garage door without using the remote control, which may be lost or broken during an emergency. Some Wi-Fi adapters also come with built-in backup batteries, so they’ll continue to work even when there’s no power available in your home or business.
Upgrade to an Automatic Transmission Garage Door Opener
If you want to ensure that your long beach garages door will always open and close automatically, even during a power outage, then it’s time to upgrade your old manual garage door opener with an automatic model that uses electricity (or battery power) instead of human effort to open and close each time it’s activated by pressing a button or pulling on a string.
Install an Emergency Release Cord on Top of the Garage Door
This is a simple way to manually lock your garage door even if there’s no power available in your home or neighborhood. A quick tug on this cord will lock the door so that no one can enter without breaking glass or forcing their way through with brute strength and determination.
Install an Electric Strike for Added Security
An electric strike is basically a secondary locking mechanism for Long Beach garages. It attaches to the floor and connects with a bar that runs along the top of your garage door track (usually at the top) so that once the power goes out, the bar prevents anyone from opening or closing your garage door unless they have access to a key or remote-control device (such as those found on most automatic transmissions).
Choose a Garage Door Opener With Battery Backup
Garage door openers with battery backup have a built-in battery that can keep garage doors in Long Beach from closing during a power outage. They are more expensive than their counterparts without battery backup, but they’re well worth the cost because they provide greater peace of mind in case of an emergency. If you need to close your garage door manually during an emergency, you’ll also want to ensure that it has a manual release device for this purpose.
While keeping your house safe from intruders when there’s a power outage is not a landmark issue, it can play an important role in safeguarding your home. Consider upgrading or installing a system that will ensure that your door stays locked when the power goes out or isn’t working. This will keep burglars out of your home. So check with your local garage door service provider and ensure that your system is up to code. Then you can rest easy knowing that your home is safe, even during an outage.
