We know how frustrating it can be to find yourself trapped inside or outside your garage during a power outage or when your garage door opener fails. But don’t worry — there’s a straightforward way to open your garage door manually when needed. And in most cases, it’s much easier than you’d think!
We’ll teach you how to open a garage door manually so you can get in and out safely. And if you live in the greater Kansas City area and need assistance repairing or replacing your garage door, the experts at Garage Pros can help!
Why You Might Need to Open Your Garage Door Manually
Unexpected situations like power outages, mechanical malfunctions, or severe weather can make it impossible to open your garage door with the remote. Without power, garage door openers won’t function unless they’re equipped with a backup battery. Additionally, if there’s a malfunction in the opener’s motor, gears, or sensors, you might have no choice but to open the door manually to get your vehicle in or out.
How to Open a Garage Door Manually in 4 Easy Steps
Step 1: Make Sure the Door is Fully Closed
Before disengaging the garage door opener, check that the door is fully down. This is critical; trying to disengage an open or partially open garage door can be dangerous. Without the opener holding it up, the door could crash down, causing injury or damage. If your door is stuck in the open position, avoid disengaging the opener and call a professional technician for assistance. Letting the garage door close without any resistance can cause damage to the door and tracks, possibly creating the need for a whole new system.
Step 2: Locate and Pull the Emergency Release Cord
Every modern garage door comes with an emergency release cord — typically a red rope hanging from the garage door trolley. This cord disconnects the door from the automatic opener, allowing you to lift it manually.
To disengage the opener, simply pull the emergency release cord firmly. This releases the trolley from the opener’s carriage, putting the door in manual mode so you can lift and lower it by hand.
Step 3: Manually Lift the Garage Door
Once the door is in manual mode, carefully lift it from the bottom. If the door is extremely heavy or difficult to move, you may have a broken spring. Springs, not the opener, are what carry most of the door’s weight, so a damaged or broken spring makes manual operation challenging and potentially dangerous. If this happens, contact a professional for repair rather than attempting to lift the door yourself. When lowering your door again, make sure it latches when fully closed. This ensures the door is locked and can’t be manually opened from the outside by an unwanted person.
Step 4: Reconnect the Door to the Opener
When power is restored, or the issue is fixed, you’ll want to reconnect the garage door to the automatic opener. First, pull the emergency release cord toward the door. Then, activate the opener with your remote or wall button. As the opener moves, the trolley will automatically reconnect with the carriage, allowing the door to operate electronically again. Make sure you test the door, allowing it to raise and lower properly before driving your car underneath.
Safety First — Contact Garage Pros for Help
When your garage door won’t open, and you’re not sure why, the professionals at Garage Pros can help. Our technicians carry a large variety of parts in their service vehicles, and many times, they can fix the problem at the first visit. So if you’re in the Kansas City area, contact us to schedule your service.
