How To Open A Garage Door Manually

Whether you are running late for work and can’t find your garage door openers, your power is out, or you simply want to make sure you’re prepared in case your garage door ever breaks down, knowing how to open a garage door manually can definitely come in handy.

Fortunately, doing so is very easy and requires little to no equipment to get started. You just need to follow a few simple steps and safety precautions.

Read on to learn how to open a garage door manually and what to do if the damage is beyond a simple fix.

Safety Precautions

First and foremost, while opening a garage door manually is generally very safe, there are a few safety precautions you should take to make sure nothing goes wrong.

• Disconnect the power: To avoid electrical shock, be sure to disconnect the power to your garage door if you plan to work on the motorhead or carriage assembly.
• Keep the door closed: Make sure your garage door is closed before pulling the release cord. This will prevent it from dropping and damaging anything beneath the door.
• Consult the manual: Keep your garage door manual on hand and consult it before you begin working on your door. This can help avoid injury or damaging the door while working.
• Avoid strains: If your garage door is too heavy to lift by yourself, avoid trying to open it manually and opt for a professional garage door repair service instead.

Following these tips will help ensure you don’t experience any unnecessary issues or injuries while opening your garage door.

Lastly, if you run into any unexpected issues while attempting to repair your garage door, be sure to contact a professional garage door repair service as troubleshooting on your own can result in injury or damage to your garage door.

How to Open a Garage Door Manually

As power outages are very common and unpredictable, every homeowner should know how to open their garage door manually — from inside or outside.

Let’s take a look at what steps you can take to get your garage door open manually when the automatic opener isn’t working.

Open From the Inside

All electronic garage doors have a bypass that allows you to manually open it when necessary, be it due to a power outage, a lost remote, or any other scenario.

To use the bypass and open your garage door manually from inside, follow these steps:

1. Inspect the garage door hardware and make sure the springs are intact.
2. Pull the red emergency cord to disengage the release mechanism. It should be located on the chain that operates the door.
3. Manually lift the garage door until it is all the way open.
4. Exit the garage and close the door.

Once the power comes back on, you can re-engage the release mechanism by pulling the red release cord upward and toward the motor until you hear a click, or by using a broom handle to push on the release lever.

After following these steps, you should be able to easily lift your garage door open. If you feel any resistance when trying to lift the door, stop and contact a professional repair service. This likely means that there is a hardware issue, such as loose or broken springs, and opening the door many cause further damage.

Still Having Problems?

If you’re having trouble getting your garage door open after following these steps, it might be time to contact a professional garage door repair service.