You never know when you’re going to be met with an unexpected power outage. And as convenient as it is to have a garage door that opens and closes just by pressing a button, you won’t be able to do it if the power’s out. The good news is you can manually open your garage door during these situations.
However, the last thing you want to do is damage your garage door or get hurt. Let’s dive into the step-by-step process of opening your garage door during power outages and the safety precautions you should take beforehand.
Before You Open Your Garage Door:
Unplug the Garage Door Opener
Attempting to manually open your garage door while the opener is still connected (even if the power is out) can put unnecessary strain on the opener’s motor and components, which could lead to premature wear and tear. This could result in costly repairs or even replacement of the opener. It can also make it more difficult to reconnect the garage door to the track. To avoid this, make sure you unplug the garage door opener before disengaging the garage door from the track.
The Door Must Be in the Down Position
It may be obvious, but your garage door must be fully closed before you follow the steps below. Attempting to disengage the opener while the door is open could be very dangerous. If the spring is broken, releasing the opener could cause the garage door to slam into the ground, potentially damaging your garage door and injuring you. That’s why you should contact a professional service immediately if your garage door is stuck in the open position during a power outage. At Blue Chip Garage Doors, we provide emergency garage door services 24/7. Give us a call, and our team of experts will be there in no time!
Make Sure the Garage Door Is Unlocked
If your garage door is secured with a manual lock, remove it before opening it. If you force the door to open while the lock is engaged, it may suddenly release, causing the door to fall rapidly. This can be extremely dangerous and can also damage the door, its tracks, and the opener system.
Step 1: Pull the Emergency Release Cord
Almost all garage doors include a manual release function for emergencies like power outages or motor malfunctions. On the garage door track, locate an emergency release cord that hangs down with a red plastic handle. Pull straight down from the cord until you hear it click. This indicates that the garage door is now disconnected from the automatic opener. Make sure you don’t hang from the cord or yank it too hard, since it may break.
Step 2: Lift Up the Garage Door
Grab the bottom of the door or the handle if it has one, and lift upward. Even with the door disconnected from the automatic opener, you should be able to open it with relatively little effort. If the door feels too heavy to lift, it may have a broken spring, in which case we suggest contacting us immediately so we can repair it.
Whether you need to exit the garage or park a car, we recommend closing the door again when you’re done, since it no longer has a mechanism holding it in place. Grab and carefully lower the door until it’s fully closed.
Step 3: Reconnect the Garage Door Opener
When power is restored, make sure you reconnect the garage door opener to the garage door, so it can start working normally again. Before you do this, make sure the door is fully closed. Once it is, pull the emergency release cord in the opposite direction, away from the door. This should re-engage the opener’s trolley mechanism with the door. You might hear a click when it does. Plug in the power cord, and open and close the garage door to test if the system is operating properly.
Other Safety Tips
Learning how to manually open your garage door during a power outage is essential–after all, life is full of surprises. But before you do anything, it’s important to consider all safety concerns. Besides the instructions and tips we already mentioned, here are some additional tips to make the process as safe as possible:
- When lifting the garage door, use the proper technique. Use your lower body strength to lift to avoid putting too much strain on your back.
- If you can, ask someone else to help you. Having assistance can make the process easier, and in case something goes wrong, you won’t be alone.
- Keep children and pets away from the area. As we’ve discussed, manually operating your garage door can have risks, so your children and/or pets should always be at a safe distance from the door.
An emergency garage door opening is the perfect opportunity to check if everything is functioning correctly. If you aren’t able to follow the steps above smoothly, or if you discover an issue with your garage door when attempting to open it manually, contact Blue Chip Garage Doors. Our team is always ready to get your door back on track!
