Maybe you’ve never thought about the possibility, or maybe you’ve already come up with a “worst-case scenario” plan for what you would do, but either way, if you have an electric garage door opener and you usually park your car in the garage, one day you’ll probably experience needing to open your garage door during a power outage. It might inconvenience you a little (like if you need to get to the store for extra hot cocoa for thunderstorm comfort) or a lot (if you need to get to work asap or get a sick child to the hospital). In any situation, you’ll want to have a plan.
If you’re thinking, “No way, this wouldn’t ever happen to me,” think twice. Power outages are more common than you might think, and they don’t always happen just because of a storm.
The world keeps turning, too, even when the power is out, be it for weather, electrical work, or your neighborhood Clark Griswold trying to outdo everyone else’s holiday light spectacular. Don’t think you’ll escape the many years of living in your home without being stuck in your garage at least once. So, we will teach you how to manually open your garage door (if you have an electric opener) and you won’t ever have to worry about being stuck, be it inconvenient or emergent.
After reading this, you’ll know how to open your door from the inside or outside when the power is out, and how to do it safely.
Don’t Let Power Outages Stop Your Life
When the power is out it can make it seem like nothing is working (because many things won’t be). You don’t have to worry about that with your garage door, though, because there is an override for the electrical opening system.
First Thing’s First
This is an important step, so don’t skip it: make sure everyone is out of the garage, including your furry friends. Things could go awry quickly, and you don’t want any small (or large) bodies in the way.
Safety Under Pressure
Remember that your garage door is held open or closed by springs that are under pressure—literally. You know how it feels to “explode” when you’ve hit your emotional limit… your garage door could do this, too, albeit for a different reason. But you don’t want to be in the way when it does.
Remove Your Garage Door Opener from the Electrical System
This might seem silly, as the power is already out. But how often have you been a part of a power outage and the lights all come back on when you least expect it? Usually that’s an exciting moment, but it definitely would not be if you were in the middle of fiddling with the electrical components of your garage door. Then you’d be in the middle of a lot more stress and inconvenience than you were to begin with and probably would have to work in a trip to the hospital. Yikes! Take the extra couple minutes and work with peace of mind.
Let There Be Light
This is good practice no matter the situation: make sure to keep a flashlight handy in your garage (next to the garage entrance from the house is a good place). Better yet, keep one on both sides of the garage, along with an LED headlamp so that you also have the option to work with both hands free. No one wants to carry a flashlight in their teeth for an extended period of time.
Remember to always keep these lights in the same place and to check the batteries frequently; nothing is worse than going to grab the light and remembering that you didn’t put it back properly or clicking it on and realizing you have a dead battery.
These are things that will save you precious time during an emergency, and precious emotional and mental energy even if it’s simply a frustrating situation.
If reading this is making you think you have other things you could probably do to prepare for your power being out for a long time, see this Consumer Reports blog for some practical ideas.
Steps to Manually Open Your Garage from the Inside
Follow these five easy steps to be able to get out of your garage when the power is out. (Pro tip: write down or print out a summary of these tips and keep them by your flashlight!)
Step 1: Make Sure the Garage is Closed
We know this might seem obvious, because you’re trying to prepare for how to get out of your garage if you’re stuck in there. But if the power happened to go out when your garage door was in the middle of opening, and it’s suspended, this could mean danger as you’re working (remember those springs we talked about?).
It is extremely dangerous to disconnect your garage door opening system from the electricity when it is partially open. If your door isn’t well-balanced or there is a broken spring, it could mean disaster—or even death—if your door comes slamming down on you while you’re working.
Your life matters to us and we know it matters to you and your family members. If your garage door is stuck partially open, leave it to the experts and contact your local garage door company immediately.
One more thing to think about: if you truly don’t have to use your door during the power outage and you have another option, use it. It’s probably much more of a hassle to disconnect, re-finagle, and then reconnect your door than it is to postpone your grocery shopping trip, call a ride-sharing service, or borrow your neighbor’s car that was parked in their driveway.
Most power outages don’t last that long, so think about it this is worth the hassle or if your schedule can wait.
Take our expert, albeit grandmotherly, advice and see what happens. You might save yourself a great deal of stress and wasted energy.
Step 2: The Bypass Handle that Will Finally Be Used
It’s funny to think about the things that we never notice until we need them. Go out to your garage right now and look up, locating the rope that hangs down near the rail running from the opener to the door. Yep, that thing. It has a purpose!
When your garage door is closed, this handle (called the bypass or the manual release) and its rope should be near the door and not far away from it.
Usually, the handle will be red as this often signifies “emergency” and it’s easily noticeable.
Step 3: Pull to Release the Emergency Cord
Your garage door opener system is probably connected to a trolley that brings together the door and the motor which makes it move. This uses electricity, which you should have disconnected, and now when you pull the cord it will disable the trolley operator from affecting the door’s movement.
Once you’ve done this step, slide the rope back a few inches away from the door.
Step 4: Find and Lift the Manual Handle
There should be a handle on the middle bottom part of your garage door. You’ll now use this to open it.
If you have a garage door that is in working order and the springs are balanced, this part should be easy. No matter the size of your garage door—whether it’s a single or double — you should be able to do this with one hand.
If it’s too heavy or doesn’t move easily, STOP and call your local garage door experts because your door needs maintenance right away.
While you’re doing this, make sure you are no longer in your garage and that nothing or no one else is anywhere near that door.
A door that is disengaged from the trolley and that still won’t lift easily is a sure sign that you have one or more broken springs or that your door is no longer functional. This usually happens after about 5 to 7 years.
Most people, if you ask them, would tell you that the garage door openers are responsible for lifting the doors. However, the truth of the matter is that the springs are actually doing the heavy lifting. Here’s a quick explanation.
Garage Door Physics for Dummies
We know you’re not a dummy. But sometimes a quick and easy explanation can help solidify something in our minds, so we remember the importance of the lesson.
If your garage door weighs 300 pounds, then it needs 300 pounds of force exerted on it to lift it. Since the springs attached to your system exert this large amount of force, that means they are also under the same amount of pressure.
So, if these springs aren’t functioning properly or if they’re at the end of their hard-working lives, your door opening system will have to take their full weight… or you will. However, when well-balanced springs aren’t providing their necessary counterbalance, then your door opener probably isn’t strong enough for the job all on its own. It just isn’t built with that capacity.
Step 5: Reconnection and It Feels So Good
Hopefully the last step was a breeze, and no technicians were needed.
Once your power is back in session and you’re ready to reconnect your garage door opener with its electrical system, it should go fairly smoothly. Here’s what you do:
- Check to make sure the door is closed. (Remember what we talked about?)
- Use a broom handle to reach and pull the emergency release handle (the red one).
- Lift the door manually until you feel and/or hear the connection click.
All you’ll need to do then to achieve full reconnection is to run the opener fully back and forth (open and closed) for one cycle. There should be an audible clicking noise when the trolley and carriage cross paths and reconnect. Now you can use your garage door with electricity once more. Whew!
Steps to Opening Your Garage Door from the Outside
Another important tool to have as part of your garage set up is an outside quick release. This is especially important if your garage doesn’t have an access door.
If you don’t have an outside quick release, you only have one way of getting in and out of your garage. This is a major fire hazard as well as being extremely impractical.
Here’s how to get your door open without power, from the outside:
- Find the quick release on the outside of your garage door and fit the key into the lock. (It’s probably smart to keep these keys on your car keys as well as one other place.)
- Next, turn and pull the tumbler out of the lock, engaging the mechanism that releases the garage door opener carriage.
- Lift your garage door until it won’t go anymore.
- Put your car inside (or get it out) and bring the door down manually.
- Reconnect the release system by using a broom handle to push upward on the lever. This can also be done by pulling the release cord upward toward the motor until you hear that re-engagement click.
- Don’t leave your garage yet! Make sure you have another access point to your home.
Wait! There’s Still a Better Way
If all this seems like it’s just way too much hassle to deal with, but you still want to be prepared in the event of an emergency, then we have a solution for that, too. Maybe you were even already thinking of upgrading your garage door opener system. You’re in luck!
Garage door opener systems with battery backups are the garage doors of the 21st century. You’ll never have to worry about a power outage again!
There are many types and models from which to choose, too! You can find a door opener system for your needs and budget that will give you all the features you want.
If you’re already up into the 21st century with a smartphone or tablet, this will be an exciting addition to your app collection. The new LiftMaster openers allow you to save time and operate your garage door from wherever you are with their integrated MyQ technology platform.
In the last few years, LiftMaster and Chamberlain have continued to improve upon their tech-savvy garage door opener systems and now you can experience all the benefits.
If you use the LiftMaster and MyQ systems, you’ll be able to see views just like this no matter where you are.
The LiftMaster 87504-267 model doesn’t just have a camera, it has two-way audio so you can speak to anyone walking near, in, or around your garage, and they can respond!
If you feel like that technology is a little much for your situation, then the LiftMaster 87802 is a solid choice with basic features that still give you the ability to use your door without power since it has the battery backup system installed.
Here is what you might see if you have alerts set up to go to your smartphone or other device.
The MyQ app allows you to monitor and open or close your garage door from wherever you’re using the app, as well as receive notifications and alerts.
If You Have a Cathedral or Low Ceiling or You Need the Overhead Storage Space
You might still have any number of reasons why you want to keep a garage door opening system from being mounted on your ceiling. There’s a solution for that, too!
The LiftMaster 8500W is an electric system (with a battery backup) that can be mounted on the side of your garage door, either left or right. This allows you to keep your ceiling space open. It also comes with the MyQ app and Wi-Fi connection capabilities, as well as an automatic garage door lock for safety and security.
Help Choosing Your Perfect System
If you want more guidance, your local experts can help. Call them now at 705-741-6259.
At Peterborough Garage Doors, overhead doors are not only our area of expertise; they are our passion. Whether you want a new system or have questions about your current Chamberlain or LiftMaster, we can help you in a jiffy. We can also meet your needs if you need a quieter system or simply want to add a battery backup to your current model. Routine service is important so you aren’t stuck with those broken springs we talked about, so make sure you schedule that with us as necessary.
We are also well-versed in staying within your budget. We give free quotes, too, and can always communicate via phone or email.
If your garage is ready for a makeover and you want to get a whole new door for a facelift, you’re in luck, because you can come to the same place.
If this is the look you’re going for, you’ll want the Princeton P‑12 Design in a 9’ x 7’. The Ice White doors and overlays with the eight Lite Panoramic windows are perfect for a farmhouse chic feel.
We carry 35 designs in 10 colors divided into the the 3 most popular styles of doors to match any taste. You can look through our photo album or use our Design Centre to get even more inspiration. Have fun, get creative, and make it you. We can’t wait to see what you come up with and help you achieve the garage of your dreams!
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