A power outage or malfunctioning garage door is bound to give you a sinking feeling in your stomach, especially if your vehicle is parked inside. Understandably, you want an immediate resolution instead of waiting for the power to turn back on or a repair company to assist. But rest assured that in the meantime, there are steps you can take to deactivate the automated system and open your door manually. Continue reading for a step-by-step guide on how to manually open a garage door, and what to do if those steps aren’t successful.
How Do You Manually Open a Garage Door: A Step-by-Step Guide
No matter the reason why you need to manually open your garage door, our guide has you covered. The last thing you want to do is cause harm to either yourself or your garage door. Here are some steps to follow to ensure that your door opens safely.
Step 1
Ensure that your garage door is unlocked. If you have any padlocks or extra latches for security, make sure these are released so they won’t interfere with the next steps.
Step 2
Check that the garage door is completely shut before continuing. If you continue with the next steps with the garage door open, it can slam to the ground which could cause harm to you and your door, leaving you with more costly issues.
Step 3
Find the emergency release cord. Almost every automatic garage door will have a cord for instances just like this. This manual release function will bypass the opening mechanism and allow you to proceed with opening the door manually. It will be located along the garage door central track and usually has a red handle so you should easily find it.
Step 4
Once located, you need to pull on this cord. This will disconnect your garage door from the trolley and allow it to move manually.
Step 5
Manually move your garage door into the open position, making sure that it stays in place when you let go. If the door fails to stay open, you may need someone to hold it while you move your vehicle. If the door feels extremely heavy to manoeuvre your problem could be a broken spring, in which case you will need to contact a garage repair company for assistance.
If you need to leave the door open for an extended period, it’s advised to use something sturdy to prop it open. When your door is disengaged from the automatic opener it’s extremely fragile and even a forceful wind could cause it to slam closed.
Check Your Manual
If you are unsure of any of these steps or want to air on the side of caution, it’s advised to check the instruction manual for the model of your automated garage door. This will have instructions on how to open your garage door without power that are specific to your model. The emergency release cord could be in a different place or there may even be an extra step that you need to take that is not listed above.
Don’t Be Afraid to Call in the Experts
If you have followed the above steps without success or simply want an extra helping hand, don’t be afraid to call in the experts. Although simple to execute without assistance, there are times when you cannot manually open your garage door on your own.
If your automatic control unit has a fault, the springs in the system have broken or you have come across another problem, then simply opening your door manually won’t solve the issue. Quality garage door repair services will be able to diagnose and rectify any issues so you can get back to enjoying your automatic door.
And why not ask them to perform a full service while they are on-site? With regular servicing, your garage door and system will stay in top condition and some common mechanical faults can be avoided.
In Need of Some Extra Assistance?
If you are struggling to open your garage door manually and want some extra help, don’t hesitate to get in touch with Greg James Garage Doors. Offering a quality service, we’ll get your door open, and any underlying issues fixed in no time. Reach out today by completing our online enquiry form or calling our friendly team on 0418 434 024. We look forward to hearing from you soon.