Unfortunately, you can’t rely on your automatic garage door opener in every single situation. If you do have to use the emergency release, though, then how do you reset a garage door after pulling the red cord?
To reset a garage door after pulling the emergency release cord, you have to reconnect the opening mechanism. With the door closed, you need to pull the red cord towards the door until it clicks. Then, your door should be re-engaged. If you press the button on your door opener, it should be working again as normal.
Read ahead in this article to find out how and when you should use the red cord to open your garage door, and how to reset the door so that it is back to operating normally.
When Do You Pull the Red Cord on Your Garage Door?
If you’ve not used it before, or you’re unsure exactly how it works, let’s talk about what that little red cord on your garage door actually does. The red cord on your garage door is there to release the door from the automatic opening mechanism. This will allow you to operate the door manually, so that you can open and close it without using the door opener.
You may be lucky enough to never actually need this little red cord, but it can be an absolute life-saver. There are a number of occasions when you might want to reach for it, including:
- When there is a power outage
- When the door opener is malfunctioning
- When your door remote has been misplaced or is out of battery
- In an emergency – when you need to open the door quickly
- To check the normal operation of your garage door
In any one of these scenarios, that little cord is a simple and effective way of freeing up your garage door so that you are not dependent on the powered opening system.
How Do You Release Your Garage Door Using the Red Cord?
Actually using the red cord is an easy process, designed to be done quickly. You might also hear this handle referred to as the “emergency cord” because you can use it to help you operate the door as efficiently as possible in case of an emergency.
The actual steps you need to take are pretty simple. All you have to do is:
- Ensure the door is closed. The garage door needs to be closed, in the down position, before you start. If you release the door from the opening mechanism while it is open, there is a chance that it can crash closed and cause damage or harm.
- Pull the red cord. The cord itself should have a small plastic handle that you can grip, allowing you to pull it down and away from the trolley. You should hear a click, and you can even see the spring snapping into an elongated position. This sound indicates that the door is free to move.
- Lift the door manually. You can now operate the door manually. This should be done with caution, particularly if you have any indication that there has been damage to the garage door spring.
When you are lifting your garage door without the opener, it should still be relatively light and easy to open. If there has been any damage to the springs, however, it can be very heavy and unpredictable.
Always operate your garage door safely when it is disengaged from the opening mechanism – be aware of the possibility that it may close more suddenly than you are used to.
How To Reset a Garage Door After Pulling the Red Cord?
So, you’ve pulled on your emergency cord for whatever reason, you’ve opened and closed your garage door, but now you want to reconnect things and get the opener working again.
This part of the process may seem complicated, but it is usually quite straightforward. More often than not, reconnecting the opening mechanism is not too far different from disconnecting it in the first place.
Follow these simple steps to reset your door:
- Ensure the door is closed. Just as you did when you disconnected the door, you should only reconnect your garage door with is closed and in the down position. If you are unable to close the door, you should call out a technician as it is not safe to reset while the door is open.
- Pull the red cord towards the door. This time, rather than pulling the cord straight down, you want to pull it forwards in the direction of the garage door. You should hear a click again and may be able to see the spring snap back to its original position.
- Test your remote. All you need to do now, for most garage door openers, is press the button. If everything is working properly, it should reconnect with the trolley automatically.
What Do You Do If Your Garage Door Opener Does Not Reset?
If your door opener does not reset after following the steps above, then there are a few things that you should check. First, try pulling the cord again. Disengaging and re-engaging the cord one more time may solve the problem.
If not, you should check your operating manual. It might be that your particular door has a different mechanism in place, or your door opener needs to be reset in a slightly different way.
If you still can’t find a solution, you should get in touch with a professional. Garage doors are heavy and can be dangerous, so if something is genuinely wrong with the mechanism it is important that a licensed technician investigates the problem safely.
Summary: How Do You Reset a Garage Door After Pulling the Red Cord?
So, how do you reset a garage door after pulling the red cord? Well, it should be a simple and straightforward process.
For most garage doors, you simply need to pull the cord the other way to re-engage it. Before doing so, the door needs to be closed in the down position. Then, you pull the red cord towards the door until you hear a click. At this point, the door should be reset and your opener should function normally again.
If the door does not reset, you can try disengaging and re-engaging the emergency cord one more time. Then, you can check the operating manual. If you are still having problems, get in touch with a professional.