Your home’s garage offers you access to a dry, comfortable interior space when a storm hits — but a power outage can disrupt your ability to use the garage door opener. Fortunately, most garage doors offer a manual alternative to ease entry or exit when the power’s out.
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Guide to Manual Garage Door Operation in a Power Outage
Follow the steps below to stay on the go or find some calm in the storm.
1. Inspect Your Door
Before manual operation, garage door components must be in good condition. Give the door and its parts an inspection first. If you notice anything wrong, contact a local expert for garage door repairs instead of operating the door by hand.
We recommend regular planned maintenance services and manually operating the door twice a year. Springs can lose tension with frequent cycling and age. With proactive checks, you’ll know when the garage door needs a spring replacement before a power outage occurs.
2. Disconnect the Opener by Releasing the Door’s Trigger
It’s best to disconnect the opener while the door is closed. If the electricity suddenly returns, the opener could attempt operation automatically and pose a safety hazard. Releasing the door’s manual trigger could also cause the door to descend too quickly.
The trigger is the rope dangling from your door’s track with a red, T-shaped handle. Pulling it releases the door from the opener’s control to permit manual operation. Consult your system’s manual for release instructions if necessary.
3. Raise the Door
Using the internal handle, slowly lift the garage door. You can apply pressure to the bottom edge to push it up and guide it into place if necessary. Once you’ve exited the garage, lower the door and engage the manual lock to prevent unwanted guests from entering.
4. Reconnect the Opener Once Power’s Restored
There are two ways to reattach your garage door to the opener. Be sure to unlock the manual lock before attempting either.
First, grab the trigger and pull the rope toward the door until you hear an audible click and can visually confirm it’s locked back in. Engaging the garage door opener may also work. Hit the opener’s switch to help force the springs back into place and reattach the door and trolley.
5. Consider a Garage Door Opener Upgrade for the Future
R&R Doors carries residential garage door openers with advanced features like battery backups. These systems allow power operation when the electricity’s out without manual cycling.
Experience Complete Garage Door Service From R&R Doors
Residents and business owners in Madison and Southern Wisconsin have counted on us since 1986. Turn to our design and technical experts for unbeatable residential door styles, professional garage door installation and skilled repair.
Contact us for more information! You can also get in touch to request a custom quote on a new garage door or schedule a service appointment online.