Are you in a situation in which your garage door won’t automatically open? These situations can arise on occasion, and when they do, you’ll have to know how to open them manually. A common cause for door malfunctions will be power outages, and you don’t want to be put in a scenario in which you’re struggling to get your car out of your garage. If you have to get your garage door manually opened, here is what you’ll have to do.
Have Your Door in the Down Position
Before you try disengaging the opener from the door itself, ensure that your garage door is where it should be: in the down position! If the door is elevated when you disengage the opener, your door could come crashing down onto the ground, which could potentially severely injure someone if they are in the path of the door. The door itself could also get damaged, which could force you to make repairs.
Pull The Emergency Release Cord
Your garage door trolley should have a red-colored rope hanging from it. This is your emergency release cord. This cord should be found close to the front of your door whenever the door is shut.
The trolley connects to your garage door and moves whenever the door is opening or closing. In addition, it is connected to the carriage of your garage door opener, which is the device that transports your door automatically along the opener boom. By pulling the release cord, your trolley and carriage will no longer be connected to each other, allowing you to open the garage door manually.
Move Your Garage Door Manually and Return it to the Down Position
The previous step gives you the ability to move your door up and down. If extreme weight makes it too hard to lift your door, a broken spring could be the culprit. Some people think that door openers are what lift the door. In reality, however, it’s the springs that allow you to do this. For any concerns regarding broken springs, contact a professional right away.
Pull Your Emergency Release Cord Towards Your Door
If you want to re-engage your carriage and use your door electrically, you should pull your release cord towards your door. At this point, the spring lever gets compressed, which lets you connect your carriage and trolley again.
Reconnect the Trolley to Your Opener Carriage
When reconnecting the trolley to your garage door opener, you need to run your opener for one full cycle. A loud clicking sound should occur at the moment the carriage and trolley pass each other. This signals that the two are connected, allowing you to open and close your door electrically.
Let First Choice Garage Doors Find The Right Door For You
Since 2004, First Choice Garage Doors has been providing quality service in Maryland, Delaware, Northern Virginia, and Pennsylvania. We offer services like garage door installation and replacement, as well as maintenance and repair. We specialize in the repair and maintenance of garage doors and their accessories. Here at First Choice Garage Doors, we work with top manufacturers in the industry, including Amar Entrematic, Clopay, Wayne Dalton, and Artisan.