How to Manually Open and Close a Garage Door

How to Manually Close and Open Your Garage Door

In the past, manually opening and closing a garage door was common practice. Drivers had to get out, unlock the garage door, lift it, drive in, park and close the door behind them. These days, most garage doors are automatically operated, so the driver can easily open and close the door by remote control.

We may not need it often, but knowing how to manually open and close a garage door is important when necessary. Here’s how to open your garage door manually when there’s a reason it won’t open automatically.

Can You Manually Open and Close a Garage Door?

What happens if the power goes out? How do you open a garage door without power? What if you lose the remote? What if your garage door opener is broken? Do you know how to open a garage door without the remote? There are several reasons you should know how to open an electric garage door manually. If you can’t open the garage door manually when needed, read on to learn more.

Safety Precautions Before Manual Operation

Safety should always be your priority when handling a heavy garage door. Numerous moving components can pose a risk, including:

• Faulty or broken springs
• A door knocked out of its tracks
• Loose or snapped cables

Inspecting these parts regularly for wear and tear can help you identify and prevent issues later.

Forcing the door closed when the springs are broken can cause it to slam down forcefully. This can damage the door or harm anyone standing close. This is why it’s important to know why the door isn’t working automatically before attempting to operate it manually.

A professional garage door technician will identify the problem beforehand to ensure no issues could lead to damage or harm.

Preparing Your Garage Door for Manual Operation

Before handling your garage door manually, check that the springs, tracks, rails and cables are in working condition. The door should balance evenly and lift without too much resistance. Be careful when handling the door, as it can be surprisingly heavy, especially wooden doors. Aluminum and steel doors are lighter to handle.

Double-check to see whether the source of the problem is a power outage, and inspect the garage door remote control for dead batteries.

How to Open a Garage Door Manually

Opening the garage door manually is not too difficult. When you find yourself in a situation where technology fails you, manual operation is your only option. A power outage is usually the cause of your opener failing, but the opener could also be faulty. How to open an electric garage door manually depends on whether you’re trying to get in or out.

Opening the Door From the Inside

When you’re stuck inside and need to be somewhere, the last thing you want to deal with is an unresponsive garage door. Follow these steps to open it manually from the inside:

1. Disengage manual locks or deadbolts.
2. Turn off the garage door opener power source if it’s not already off.
3. Find and pull the red hanging emergency release cord from the center track, disengaging the door from the garage opener.
4. Lift the door by pulling it upwards from the center over your head, where it will slide onto the track and remain firmly in place.
5. Pull out your car and lower the door manually again.
6. Engage manual locks or deadbolts to secure the door.

Opening the Door From the Outside

If you’ve come home and can’t access your garage, you can also open the door manually to get inside. Here’s what to do:

1. Find the emergency built-in release with a key slot at the top of your garage door.
2. Enter and turn the key, then pull the lock mechanism outward.
3. The emergency release cord should be disengaged.
4. Pull the cord, disconnecting the motor.
5. Unlock the garage door at the bottom next to the door handle.
6. Lift the door from the bottom up over your head into the tracks until it’s in place.

Not all doors have this built-in release mechanism. If yours doesn’t, you’ll need a wire coat hanger and a ladder. Follow these alternative steps:

1. Straighten the hanger wire and make a hook at one end.
2. Slide the hooked end between the garage door and frame at the top center.
3. Locate the emergency release lever and pull it with the hooked wire end.
4. You’ll hear a click when the door is disengaged.
5. Remove the wire and lift the door from the bottom upwards into the tracks until it slides into position.
6. Enter the garage and manually pull it down to close it once parked.

For safety, pull the emergency release handle when the garage door is down. Be careful where you place your hands, as there are pinch points where sections come together. Remember to call a reputable garage door company to assess your automatic door opener.

Troubleshooting Tips for Opening Issues

Some common garage door opening issues and solutions include:

• An aged opener: If it is old and worn, it may be time to replace it.
• Broken springs or cables: If the springs or cables are broken, they can’t lift the door and must be replaced.
• Remote control issues: Check the battery to see if it’s still working, and replace it with a new battery if necessary.
• Blocked photo eye sensors: Dust and dirt can block their transmission. Clean the lenses on both to resolve the issue.
• Rusted rollers and tracks: Old, rusty ones can affect the door’s motion and should be lubricated regularly or replaced.
• Strange noises when opening: This may indicate an underlying issue like loose cables, roller, nuts and bolts, broken springs, or misalignment. It’s best to have a professional technician check your door.

How to Close a Garage Door Manually

Closing a garage door manually is simple. Here are the steps to follow.

1. While the door is open and securely in place, pull the red emergency cord down and back towards the opener.
2. You’ll hear a click when the door is disengaged from the opener.
3. Hold the door in the center and guide it until it closes.
4. Secure it by locking the door at the bottom.

Returning Your Garage Door to Automatic Mode

Now that you know how to open and close an automatic garage door manually, you should know how to return it to automatic mode once the power is back. There are two ways to do this:

1. Pull down on the release rope again, but this time, pull it toward the garage door to guide the trolley attachment back onto the track.
2. If this doesn’t work, there should be a button you can press on the remote opener to automatically pull the attachment back into its proper location.

Check out Our Video to Learn How to Manually Open Your Garage Door

We’ve provided a lot of information in this article. If you’d prefer to watch and learn instead, check out this video.

Call Continental Door for All Your Garage Door Needs

The problem might not be the power but your garage door opener, so it may be time to repair or replace it. If you have issues with your garage door opener or garage door in the Spokane area, contact Continental Door Co., the garage door and opener repair and replacement experts for quick, friendly and efficient garage door service.

We are eager to help resolve any garage door opener concerns you have. Call us or request a free estimate, and we will get in touch.