Garage door openers are a luxury we tend to take for granted. We don’t realize how much we depend on them until they are not working properly. With the spring season ahead, we also have thunderstorms and other severe weather that can lead to power outages. 

Power outages are a time people often get stuck in or out of their garages because their openers are no longer operating. 

Luckily, there are a few solutions to this frustrating situation. 

Garage Door Opening Options- No Power Required

If the power goes out and you need to open your garage door, do you know what to do? You may have a few different options to fix the problem. However, the best solution for you will depend on the specific brand and model of garage door opener that you have, and what special features are included. 

Battery Backup 

Some models of automatic garage door openers come equipped with a backup battery. This allows you to open the door with your remote or keypad, even if the power is out in the area. 

Check your unit’s manual to see if you have this feature and if you should check to make sure the battery backup is charged and ready for an emergency.

Emergency Key Disconnect 

This is another emergency feature that is usually only included if the garage door is the only entrance or exit to the garage. If you have this feature, you’ll see a keyhole lock partway up on the outside of the garage door. You should have a key for this lock, which you can use to open the emergency disconnect. 

When unlocked, the unit pulls a cable out that will disengage the lock on the opener motor, so you can manually open your garage door by pushing the door up. This method works during a power outage, and even if the opener is broken or malfunctioning. 

Manual Release Cord 

This feature comes standard with any automatic garage door opener on the market today. With normal functioning, the opener locks your door in the closed position as a safety feature, so someone can’t push the door open at any time. However, in an emergency situation, you can pull the manual release cord to disengage the opener lock, so you can open the door manually. 

Check Your Overhead Garage Door Now

We hope this post serves as your reminder to check which method your overhead garage door uses in case of emergency or no power. Knowing how to manually operate your garage door before a power outage occurs will save you a lot of time and frustration in the future. For all things overhead garage doors in Ohio, contact our team of professionals at Springfield Overhead Door.