Opening your garage door with the press of a button is simple and convenient. The electric garage door provides a modern amenity most homeowners take for granted. But did you know you can operate it even if there is a power outage?
Perhaps you are waiting to call a garage door repair company until a more convenient time. Fortunately, you can still get your car inside the garage. Yes, your garage door is heavy, but the system is designed for situations such as a power failure, or sudden failure of a motor or remote control. Here’s how you can operate it without electricity.
Using the Manual Release Cord
Most garage door opener systems have a rope with a small handle at the end. By pulling this, you can engage the bypass switch, which disengages the trolley from the rail. You should only do this when the garage door is closed; otherwise, it could crash down under its own weight. The door could be crushed or cause heavy damage to objects and serious injuries to people and pets.
- If the door is raised when the power fails, use wood or other objects to prop it open before disengaging the system.
- If the cord doesn’t release, don’t use excessive force or hang from it; the rope and/or lever could be seriously damaged. In this case, contact your local garage door company.
Manual Garage Door Operation
First, make sure the manual lock isn’t engaged, remove it, or disengage the lock. The garage door can be opened from the inside by grabbing the handle and lifting it upward. If the springs and other components are working, opening the door should be relatively easy for one person. However, if it’s uneven or difficult to lift, a tension spring or cable may be broken. Get in touch with a professional Fresno garage door repair company to address this immediately.
Restoring Automatic Garage Door Function
Once the electricity is restored, you’ll want to reconnect the garage door and automatic opener. First, check the carriage unit, which lifts and lowers the door. It should be positioned on the track near the motor. If so, then pull the manual release handle while another person lifts the garage door up. It should snap back into place, or you can press the garage door opener button to get the spring attachment to reconnect.
When power is restored, there’s a risk a power surge can damage the automatic opener. Call a garage door repair technician if the garage door fails. With or without a power outage, garage doors are heavy and produce a lot of tension, so your safety should always come first. Only disengage or re-engage the automatic opener if the process is simple and straightforward to you. Most likely, the inconvenience will only last a few hours, which is better than risking serious damage and injury.
Call Our Fresno Garage Door Company for Assistance
Contact us right away if your garage door stops working. Same-day and emergency garage door repair in Fresno is available 24/7, so our team can provide repairs quickly, even in the middle of the night. Call Precision Door Service anytime at 559-212-3305 or submit a message to request a visit, repair, or free quote.
