When it’s pouring rain or snowing outside, an automatic garage door opener is a wonderful device—unless the storm knocks the power off. In this scenario, your car will either be trapped inside the garage when you have important places to be or stuck in the driveway, forcing you to trudge through the mess. The following guide will teach you what to do in case you ever find yourself in this situation. 

How to Operate Your Garage Door During a Power Outage

On most garage door openers, there is a red manual release handle, dangling by a rope. To activate this cord, unplug the opener. Then, pull the cord down and toward the motor to disengage the trolley from the spring attachment point on the rail. This can take some force, but do not hang on the cord to avoid damaging the rope and lever. Also, if you pull the cord while the door is open, it will come crashing down. To avoid damaging it, use two by fours or another sturdy prop.

You can then lift the door straight up. However, make sure it will stay up on its own. If you notice unbalanced springs, or if the door does not open easily or stay in place, call a professional for garage door maintenance to avoid damage or injury.

How to Reattach the Door

When the power turns back on, reconnect the garage door opener and manually unlock the door—skipping this step before opening the door can cause serious damage. You can then reengage the trolley attachment by pulling the cord towards the garage door opening. Pull up on the door until it snaps into place or use the remote to force the spring attachment back into place.

When your garage door has been damaged and won’t open or close, contact the professionals at Mid-State Door & Opener in Tomah, WI, for emergency service. The garage door service team has over 25 years of business experience. In addition to general maintenance and installation services, they also carry garage door openers, tension springs, overhead doors, and many other products from leading brands. Visit their website to learn more about their services, and call (608) 372-9681 to request a free estimate.