Automatic garage doors provide a high level of convenience; so much so, that anybody with one will likely never ever want to return to what seems like the Jurassic era technology of manual garage doors. However, power outages can render automatic garage doors inoperable, and you stuck outside in your car. OR, on the other hand, it can result in a car being trapped inside a garage. Here’s a guide by the experts at Garage Door Repair Chicago on how to open your garage door even during a power outage.

Triggerpoints

Many garage door openers have special bypass switches for these exact sort of situations. Many garage door openers have a cord with a handle on it (usually colored red,) which operate as a manual release which disengages the trolley of the opener towards the rail, placing the door into manual mode. It should be stated that if the door is up when the rope is pulled, it might come down suddenly. Only activate this trigger handle when the garage door is closed.

Remaining in Manual Operation

If you know in advance the power is going to be out, or if it won’t be restored for a while, keep your garage in manual mode by pulling the rope down, and towards the rear of your garage or behind the motor, so it doesn’t get tangled in the garage door tracks.

Switching back to automatic

Once the power has been restored, you’re going to want to make your garage door operate automatically again. Re Engage the automatic trolley attachment by pulling down on the cord, but not towards the back of your garage like before, but towards the door – then pull the door up until it snaps back into position, which should activate it’s automatic operation mode again. Another option is to simply press the remote opener button, which should place the spring garage door attachment back into place.

Important Things about the Garage Door Opener Release Cord

Automatic garage door opening systems helps garage doors stay working even when certain aspects of the garage door are broken or malfunctioning. However, when the automatic track is deactivated, any weak or damaged cables or springs can lead to mishaps. Avoid them by:

• Only activating the release cord when the door is fully down, and if you need to pull it when the door is up, make sure the entranceway is clear in case the door suddenly smashes down to the ground.
• If you need to disengage the automatic door when it’s up, use sturdy blocks of wood to keep the door open so it can be closed safely by hand.
• Don’t place your entire body weight on the cord if it is not pulling properly, you don’t want to put excess stress on it because that might damage it.