How to

How to Open a Garage Door Manually When the Power Is Out

There are moments when you face an unexpected power outage and may need to open your garage door manually. It may seem daunting, but it is a simple step-by-step process that many can perform without professional help. Suppose you are worried about whether you can lift the weight of your heavy garage door. In that case, you don’t need to worry, as automatic garage doors are designed to allow manual operations when broken or during a power outage. Follow these simple steps and precautions by Chicago Garage Door to simply get in and out of your house, even when manually operating your garage door.

Opening A Garage Door Manually From The Inside

Check for the garage door position – First, ensure that the door is down. Do not attempt to open it if it is stuck half open, as this could cause it to crumble down and cause damage and bodily harm.

Tend to the locks – Next, locate the latches and locks and open them before beginning the actual manual opening process

Pull the emergency release cord – The release cord will allow the door to open manually. And comes as either a handle or rope that is red in color. If the door is shut, the release cord is close to the front of the door and is used to disconnect the trolley from the carriage. The trolley has an attachment point that connects it to the door and the carriage and moves when it opens or closes. The carriage automatically moves the garage door along the door opener boom. Releasing the emergency cord allows the door to operate manually by disconnecting the trolley and the carriage.

Open or close the doors – With this disconnection, you can open and shut the doors comfortably. If you try to lift the door but find it too heavy, then you may have a broken spring. Many may think that the opener is responsible for opening the door, but the springs are solely the weight movers in garage doors.

Resetting a garage door after a power outage– If you can open and close the doors and wish to re-engage the electrical functions, pull the release cord towards the door, this will replay pressure on the spring lever and allow the trolley and the carriage to reconnect.

Opening a garage door manually from the outside – If you are outside trying to get in, locate the emergency release kit close to the center of the top of your garage door. You will find a small lock that you open to access the emergency release cable and follow the steps above. You may need the key to the lock.

Precautions When Opening A Garage Door Without Power

Do not leave the garage door open for too long. Once you are done entering or leaving, close the door and ensure that there are no gaps between the door and the top part. A manually opened garage door can come slamming down.

Know when to call for professional help. If the springs are broken, or the door is half open, do not attempt to fix it yourself. Call a professional to prevent further damage.

If you do not wish to re-engage the electrical system immediately. Use the manual lock inside the garage door to secure it in a down position.

During a reconnection, watch if the door moves smoothly into place. If you notice shaking, a change in pace, or uneven movement, you should call a professional.

Ensure you unplug the automatic door opener before attempting to open the garage door manually. If you do not, you may find it hard to reconnect the door when the power is back, as the opener will have tried to open it despite it being disengaged.

Preventing The Need To Open A Garage Door Manually

If you find opening a garage door manually cumbersome and wish to prevent it in the future, try installing a backup battery feature. The battery will keep the keypad, opener, and safety sensors operational during an electrical outage.

You should get your garage door operating manually in a few minutes using these simple steps. Consider calling a professional if you encounter any unexpected challenges or need to install a battery backup to avoid any manual operations in the future. Remember, even with a battery backup, it is essential to learn how to open a garage door manually for prior preparation if the need arises at your house or other locations.