Learning how to open a garage door manually should be among the first lessons for new homeowners and tenants. It is unlikely that you will need to put this knowledge into practice often, but it is an extremely helpful skill to master when you need it. What happens if there’s a power outage or malfunction and you need to open the door quickly?
With this friendly advice from the Advantage Garage Doors team, there is no need to panic.
The steps for opening these doors are identical for each make and model. However, we highly recommend double-checking the manual to determine your garage door’s overrides. Also, look at how the door opens or closes when it’s working correctly to better understand how to slide it manually when the garage door mechanism fails.
The first step in learning how to open an overhead door safely is to set the door in the down position. If you disengage the door in the open setting and there is an unseen structural issue, prepare for disaster. For example, if the spring has snapped or the door’s alignment is off, disengaging the opener may cause the door to crash.
If your door is in the open position and you cannot reverse that, please do not attempt the steps below. The door could crush anyone or anything in its path. It could also sustain expensive or even irreparable damage when it smashes into the ground.
Your operator’s manual will make identifying where to look for an emergency release cord easy. It is typically a red cord and will be obvious when searching for it. You might see it near the front if you close the door.
Follow the cord, and notice how it connects to the trolley and the main structure of your automatic garage door opener. Pulling the cord, the pressure disconnects that trolley from the main structure. This detachment action is what switches the door from automatic to manual operation.
This step might be the easiest when manually learning how to open the door. You slide the door upwards, lifting it slightly to open it manually. If all is in order, it should move quickly without much effort.
While you lift it, check for obstructions or damage, especially if the door’s movement seems sluggish or you cannot lift it easily. Look at the track, if applicable, and then examine the spring. If there’s an obstruction, clear it carefully.
Also, check any runners or sections with which you can see ball bearings. These may require lubrication as they stick together when dirt enters the housing. Only clean and lubricate these mechanisms if you have the training to do so; otherwise, contact a professional like Advantage Garage Doors for safety’s sake.
Did you notice a broken spring when opening the garage door manually? Please call us, as the tightly coiled spring requires specialist equipment to remove it safely. If you try to remove it, there’s a high risk that the tension will snap and cause severe injury.
There are several reasons a door may not open or close. While it’s tempting to tinker with the motor, you should not do so unless you have a good understanding of the mechanics. It is easier to damage an engine than you might think.
Professional advice from a team like ours would make things easier. A consultation is affordable, especially if it might save you from damaging your motor beyond repair.
It is seldom one mechanism that is at fault, so professional experience goes a long way. For example, a faulty spring causes additional strain on one side of the door. After some time, that issue may affect alignment.
The other issue is that homeowners must determine how precarious the situation is. Sliding a door manually open may work perfectly but cause additional strain to the structure. Over time, this movement may lead to structural failure and allow the door to crash down on a vehicle or person.
A team of technicians like ours will look carefully at your system. They identify the reason for the malfunction while assessing the state of the other mechanisms. By doing so, they can promptly identify minor issues before they become huge problems.
Have you fixed the problem after some professional advice? It is time to re-engage the opener. Please return to the release cord and pull it toward the door so the trolley and carriage re-engage.
We recommend running it a second time to ensure everything is properly working.
The final step is to run a complete cycle that opens and closes the door. This action resets the trolley and carriage to work in tandem once more.
With these six helpful steps, you will always have a backup plan when a garage door fails to open automatically.
Call Advantage Garage Doors at 587-418-3911 today to schedule a repair or maintenance callout or learn more about manually opening a garage door.
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