What happens when there’s a power outage and the opener doesn’t work? Or, what happens
If you find yourself in a situation where you need to manually open your garage door, don’t worry – it’s not as difficult as it may seem.
In most cases, you’ll simply disengage the opener using the emergency release switch then carefully open the door and keep it propped open. If the spring or cable system is broken you may need help dealing with the weight of the door.
In this article, we’ll go over how to open your garage door manually in the event of a power outage or broken spring/cable system. We’ll also provide some safety tips to keep in mind while you’re working.
So, let’s get started…
How to Open a Garage Door Manually with No Power
1. Don’t Engage the Emergency Release Cord Unless the Door Is Fully Closed
The first thing you need to do is make sure the door is fully closed before you engage the emergency release cord. If the door isn’t fully closed, it could come crashing down on you when you try to disengage the opener.
2. Look for the Emergency Release Handle or Cord
Once the door is fully closed, look for the emergency release handle or cord. This is usually a red cord or handles that’s attached to the trolley (the moving part of the opener that runs along the rail).
3. Disengage the Opener
To disengage the opener, pull on the cord or handle until you feel it come loose from the trolley. You may need to give it a good pull to get it started.
4. Carefully Open the Door
Once the opener is disengaged, you can carefully open the door. Be careful with the weight of the door. If it feels heavier than you expect you may have a broken garage door spring or cable. We’ll cover how to handle that later in this article.
5. Prop the Door Open
Once the door is open, you’ll need to prop it open to keep it from closing. You can use a 2×4 or another piece of wood or some vice grips inside the roller tracks. Just be sure to remove the wood or vice grips when you’re finished so that no one accidentally tries to close the door and gets hurt.
5. Re-Connect the Trolley After Power Is Restored
When the power returns, simply close the door and pull on the emergency release cord in the opposite direction to re-connect the trolley. Then, you can either manually open the door or run the opener until the trolley reconnects with the carriage.
Safety Tips for Manually Opening a Garage Door During a Power Outage
Follow these safety tips to avoid injury while you’re manually opening your garage door:
1. Be Careful of the Weight
As we mentioned earlier, be careful when opening the door manually as it can be much heavier than you expect. If you have any doubts about your ability to open and close the door safely, don’t hesitate to call a professional for help.
2. Use Proper Technique
When opening the door be sure to use proper technique. Lift with your legs, not your back.
3. Be cautious of the spring tension
If you have a broken spring or cable you’ll be handling the full weight of the door. Be very careful when opening and closing the door in this case, as it could come crashing down on you if not done correctly. If this is the case we always recommend having someone help you open the door and if it’s still difficult then call a professional as there could be another issue blocking it.
4. Keep Children and Pets Away
Be sure to keep children and pets away from the area while you’re working. Accidents can happen quickly, so it’s best to play it safe.
5. Have someone help you
If possible, it’s always best to have someone help you when opening and closing the door manually. This will help to prevent accidents and injuries.
Opening a garage door manually is relatively simple, but it’s important to be careful and use proper techniques. If you have any doubts about your ability to open and close the door safely, don’t hesitate to call a professional for help.
What if You Have a Problem Lifting the Garage Door?
There are a few things that could be preventing you from being able to lift the garage door manually. If the door is too heavy or feels jammed, the spring or cable system is likely broken or there’s an obstruction.
If the spring or cable system is broken, don’t attempt to fix it yourself. This is a job for a professional as it can be very dangerous.
If there’s an obstruction, you’ll need to remove it before you can open the door. Be careful when removing the obstruction as it could be heavy or sharp. Once the obstruction is removed, you should be able to open the door manually.
How to Open a Garage Door With A Broken Spring or Cable
If you have a broken spring or cable you’ll follow the same steps as above to manually open the door. However, you’ll need to be extra careful as the door will be much heavier than usual. We recommend having someone help you open and close the door in this case.
1. Disengage the opener
First, you’ll need to disengage the opener by pulling on the emergency release cord.
2. Manually lift the door
Next, you’ll need to manually lift the door. Be careful of the weight as it will be much heavier than usual. Use proper technique when lifting the door to avoid injury.
3. Close the door
Once you’ve lifted the door, you can close it manually. Be sure to use proper techniques and have someone help you.
4. Fix the springs/cable or get help from a professional
If the spring or cable system is broken, don’t attempt to fix it yourself. This is a job for a professional as it can be very dangerous.
5. Reconnect the opener
Once the spring or cable is fixed, you can reconnect the opener and begin using it again.
Safety Tips for Manually Opening a Garage Door With A Broken Spring or Cable
As we mentioned earlier, it’s important to be very careful when opening and closing a garage door with a broken spring or cable. Be sure to use proper techniques and have someone help you to avoid injury. Here are some additional safety tips to keep in mind:
- Use caution when removing the obstruction as it could be heavy or sharp.
- Be sure to keep children and pets away from the area while you’re working.
- If possible, it’s always best to have someone help you when opening and closing the door manually.
Conclusion
Opening a garage door manually is relatively simple, but it’s important to be careful and use proper techniques. If you have any doubts about your ability to open and close the door safely, don’t hesitate to call a professional for help.
If you have a broken spring or cable watch some YouTube videos to see if you’re up to the job. It’s more dangerous than other types of garage door repairs but if you’re feeling confident, give it a try.