Did you know that thunder is produced by lightning?  Or that the brilliant 'bolts' we see in the sky are only about 1' in diameter and over tens of miles long?  And that trees such as pine, oak, and maple are natural lightning conductors due to their height & root systems which dissipate the charge?  Unpredictable and impressive, it is estimated that one out of every 200 homes will be struck by lightning each year.

 

Garage door openers along with many other electronics have a high risk of damage during a storm because the lightning can travel through phone jacks, ethernet cables, and electrical outlets.  Even the electromagnetic pulses generated by indirect lightning can short out appliances.  We strongly suggest purchasing a surge protector for your garage door openers.  Surge protectors plug directly into an outlet and limit the voltage supplied to electronic devices by blocking or shorting unwanted voltages above a safe threshold.  You may already be using power strips in your home or garage, but not all of them have built in surge protection.  Always verify that the device is marked as such by the manufacturer.

Without one, parts such as the circuit board can literally burn up due to power surges.  A $15 item will save you hundreds in repair costs.  Here are a few symptoms your garage door opener may be showing if hit by lightning or a power surge:

 

• Opener functions erratically
• Remote & keypad stop working
• LED lights on the safety sensors are not lit
• Opener acts as if it has no power even when there is power going to the outlet
• The light on the back of the circuit board flashes constantly

If you are experiencing any of these signs after a recent storm, you should contact your local garage door service provider for assistance.  You can call Overhead Door Co. of Duluth at 218-722-2884, or Overhead Door Co. of Hibbing at 218-262-3071 for assistance.