Don’t Let a Power Outage Trap Your Car

During a power outage or wildfire evacuation, a garage door opener without a working backup battery can leave you struggling to access your vehicle when every second matters. California’s SB 969 law requires backup batteries for residential garage door openers sold or installed on or after July 1, 2019, so it’s important to check yours before an emergency occurs.

To test your opener, unplug it from the electrical outlet and use the remote or wall control. If your garage door operates normally, the backup battery is working. If nothing happens, the opener may not have a battery or its battery may need to be replaced. You should also learn how to operate the emergency release and manually lift the door while you have adequate lighting and plenty of time.