Your garage door is the most common way to enter your home, given that the garage is where you park your car before you go inside. It’s a vital entry point that provides convenient and quick access to your abode.
Your garage door could fail due to a mechanical malfunction or power outage, which is a safety and security risk. Knowing how to open your garage door when power is out can help prevent accidents and injuries. Our Overhead Garage team has compiled this guide to explain how to manually open your garage door without harming yourself.
Understanding the Need To Manually Open a Garage Door
Automatic garage doors have quickly become a standard feature in modern homes. These garage doors employ automated systems, including safety sensors and lights that help avert accidents.
When power goes out in Chicagoland or Southeast Wisconsin, you might be unable to access your home through the garage door. If there’s no power, the automatic opener won’t work; a damaged garage opener can also cause the door to become inoperable. One day, you may even have to open the door manually to let emergency services access your home. Enlisting a reputable garage door service can help resolve these issues.
Safety Precautions and Why You Should Call a Professional
A stuck garage door is more than an inconvenience. It makes your home vulnerable to security risks by becoming a weak point for intruders and potential break-ins. The door can also pose safety threats when attempting to open it manually. Its extreme weight and erratic mechanisms make it unwieldy and potentially dangerous to open by hand. Nearly 30,000 garage-related accidents are reported annually, so observing safety precautions and regulations when opening a garage door when power is out is essential.
This is the process in brief. First, ensure there are no children or pets around, and with the door closed, disengage the automatic opener to prevent injury. Use the emergency release cord to allow the door to move manually. While knowing how to open your garage door manually might sometimes be necessary, consider it a last resort. Always call a professional for emergency garage service in Chicagoland and Southeast Wisconsin first.
How Professionals Manually Open a Garage Door
How to manually open a garage door when power is out is a valuable skill, but it’s not always a do-it-yourself task. For your safety, it’s best to call a professional for assistance. A pro has the proper tools and experience to address these issues without violating safety regulations. The following are the steps involved when opening the garage door manually.
Locate the Manual Release Cord
Most automated garage doors have a manual release cord for use when power is out, which also comes in handy during motor malfunctions. When your Overhead Garage Door professional arrives, their first step is to locate the manual release cord. It’s usually at the top of the door’s track on either side or in the center. It has a T-shaped handle with a conspicuously bright color, making it easy to spot.
Pull the Emergency Release Cord Correctly
To guarantee safety, the garage door must be closed but unlocked before this step. Pulling the emergency release cord disengages the automatic opener, and the technician will use limited force to pull the cord downward to avoid damaging the track. Once the opener is disengaged, the professional can manually open or close the door.
Lift the Garage Door Safely
Manually lifting a garage door safely depends on its type and weight. Most garage doors have handles on the sides for manual opening and closing. While you may be able to lift the garage door by yourself, a helping hand can increase safety. Always wear protective gloves to avoid injuries and use a firm grip when opening the garage door manually.
Secure the Door in an Open Position
Once the garage door is open, the technician must secure it in place. This critical step improves safety in and around the garage, averting potential accidents or injuries. The good news is that most garage doors have a built-in locking mechanism that helps secure the door when opened.
Reconnect the Garage Door Opener Post-Power Restoration
You’ll want to reconnect the garage door opener once power is back on to restore it to automatic mode. This step is straightforward: pull the manual release cord again to engage the automatic opener. When you press the garage remote, the carriage unit will reconnect with the door once it closes.
Tips for Preventing Common Garage Door Issues
Garage door reliability and emergency access are among the most critical concerns for Chicagoland homeowners. Most garage doors open 1,500 times annually; they have a life expectancy of 10 to 30 years based on usage. Preventive maintenance helps keep your garage door in good condition for even longer. You can prevent common garage door issues by lubricating its moving parts and testing its safety features. Replacing a bad or dead remote battery will assist with smooth garage door operation.
Don’t hesitate to call a professional if you notice any issue or mechanical malfunction that needs urgent attention. Most importantly, schedule garage door maintenance at least once every six months. Routine checks and inspections can help detect and fix garage door problems before they worsen. Components such as door sensors, lighting systems, and door openers need regular checks to ensure they work as expected. A skilled garage door technician can perform these tasks without issues.
Contact the Garage Door Professionals from Overhead Garage Door Today
While Chicagoland and Southeast Wisconsin rarely experience blackouts, severe weather often leads to power outages. Your automatic garage door opener can become inoperable when the power is out, leaving you stranded, but remember that opening the garage door manually has several potential risks. You could damage the garage opener or, worse, injure yourself.
Fortunately, Overhead Garage Door can help. Our experts are skilled in how to open a garage door without power, and we observe all safety precautions and regulations while getting you back into your home. Contact us today for the best garage door repair in Chicagoland.
Garage Door by Ben Baligad is licensed with CC BY 2.0