Monsoon Season and Your Garage Door Opener: How to Protect It in Las Vegas

Monsoon season in Southern Nevada typically runs from late June to mid-September, according to the City of Las Vegas. Storms can bring lightning, dust storms, flash floods, and strong downdrafts, and they can cause power outages.

Your garage door opener is plugged into your home’s wiring, so surges and outages can reach it. A little preparation protects the opener, and it keeps your door working when the power does not.

What Storms Can Do to a Garage Door Opener

Four things matter most.

• Power surges. A nearby lightning strike or a surge can damage the circuit board, even if the breaker does not trip. See our circuit board guide.
• Power outages. Storms and dust storms have caused widespread outages in the Valley, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Without power, a standard opener will not run.
• Dust. Dust storms can coat the photo eye lenses and the tracks. A blocked lens can stop the door from closing.
• Water. Water getting into the motor unit can damage the board.

Before the Season: A Seven Step Checklist

1. Add surge protection. Plug the opener into a surge protector at its ceiling outlet, and consider a whole home protector at the electrical panel. Protectors help, but they do not stop every surge.
2. Test the backup battery, if your opener has one. A beep every 2 seconds can mean the opener is running on battery power, according to Chamberlain.
3. Wipe the photo eye lenses and check that both lights glow steady. Our sensors guide explains what the lights mean.
4. Run the monthly safety reverse test with a 2 by 4. Our guide to the monthly test walks through it.
5. Replace the remote and keypad batteries, so you are not guessing during an outage.
6. Find your red release cord and your model number. Pull the cord only with the door fully closed, and never if you think a spring has broken.
7. Check the GFCI outlet in your garage, and know which breaker feeds the opener.

During a Storm

The City of Las Vegas advises people to stay indoors if storms are in the area. For your opener, a few simple habits help.

• If lightning is close and you can reach the plug safely, unplug the opener.
• Do not climb a ladder during a storm to reach the plug.
• Do not force a stuck door. See our emergency repair page if the door will not move.

After a Storm or Outage

1. Check the GFCI outlet and the breaker. A surge can trip the GFCI before it damages the opener.
2. Plug the opener back in and press the wall button once.
3. Test the remote and keypad. If the remote fails but the wall button works, see our remote guide.
4. Check both photo eye lights. On many openers both should glow steady.
5. Run the safety reverse test.
6. If nothing responds, see our guide to an opener that is not working.

One warning: do not hold the Learn button to fix a lost remote. Holding it erases every remote and keypad. Read our reset guide first.

When to Call

Call if the door is stuck open and you cannot secure the garage, if the safety reverse fails, or if nothing responds after the checks above. Emergency service is available 24/7 and costs a little more than a regular visit. See our emergency repair page.

Questions About Storms and Garage Door Openers