Open A Garage Door Manually After a Power Outage

There’s a chill in the air and we’re moving closer to the Winter storm season. The possibility of power outages is real. Home garage doors are automated and need electricity to open and close. Here’s what you do if you find yourself in a situation that requires you to open a garage door manually.

How to Open a Garage Door Manually

When you lose your electricity and you’re in a hurry to get your vehicle out of your garage, it’s important to know how to open your garage door manually and how to do it safely. You also want to make sure you don’t damage your door in the process.

Our Recommendation in an Emergency

We recommend, if you need to manually open a garage door quickly, that you contact us to have the door opened. Our emergency services are available 24/7 for your safety.

Here are a few steps you can follow when manually opening a garage door.

The Door Must Be in the Down Position

Before you make an attempt to disconnect the opener of the garage door, you must have the door in the down position.

Pull the Red Emergency Release Cord

There is a red rope that hangs from the garage door trolley, which is the emergency release cord and it will usually have a red knob or handle on it.

Once you have your door in the down position, you’ll will see the release cord. You’ll likely need a small ladder to reach it. Pull the red cord.This disconnects your door from the opener.

Important!

Never pull the red cord when your garage door is in the open position.

If you have a weak or broken garage door spring there’s a chance your door could slam down immediately and anything under the door could be damaged.

Open and Close Your Garage Door Manually

You should be able to lift your door manually (if it’s too heavy, get help), but realize the door can now can move freely.

Carefully and completely open your door and if possible, have someone hold the door open while you drive out. Once you’ve removed your vehicle from the garage, manually close the door once everything is clear.

Reconnecting Your Door

Once the power comes back on, you’ll need to reconnect your door to the opener. Again, your door needs to be in the down position.

Pull on the red cord again (you may have to pull hard) to lock it back in place.

Then run a complete cycle of door opening and closing to make sure it’s working properly.

Now you know how to manually open a garage door, however, a better option will be to call us when you have a car stuck in the garage.

We deliver quick, quality service around the clock to our Idaho garage door customers. Call us today!