After a long and tiring day, the last thing you want to deal with is a non-responsive garage door opener. When you push the button on your garage door opener or use the wall switch and nothing happens, it can be frustrating. Instead of waiting for repairs, you can take action and open your garage door manually.
Start By Getting into the Garage
Ideally, your garage should have an alternate entry point, such as a secondary door or a direct connection to your house if it’s attached. Having an alternative way to access your garage can be particularly helpful in situations when your garage door malfunctions.
Having a secondary entrance into your garage simplifies the process of gaining access when your garage door is out of commission. If your garage is equipped with a secondary door, this is the most straightforward option. Simply use the secondary door to access your garage without the need for the malfunctioning garage door. If your garage is attached to your house, you may have a door connecting the two. In this case, you can enter your house through the front door and then access your garage through the house door. You’ll be able to bypass the non-functioning garage door. But if your garage lacks an alternate entry point because it’s separate from your house, you might need assistance. Disconnecting your garage door is easy once you’re inside.
Disconnecting the Garage Door Opener Is as Easy as Flipping A Switch
If you can get inside your garage, disconnecting the garage door from the opener is easy. Your garage door opener may have a bypass switch that will automatically disconnect the opener in case it needs repaired. Just make sure that you are careful underneath it as your garage door safety features may not be functional.
Even if it doesn’t, you can simply disconnect the door by pulling on the red emergency release cord that hangs overhead from the garage door trolley. This will disconnect the door from the trolley so it swings freely without the need for the opener.
To reconnect the opener, simply run the opener again and it will automatically reconnect. Once repairs are completed, you should take note of how you opened your garage door. While you don’t want this to happen again, everything you did today is important knowledge for the future.
Have You Considered Battery Backup for Your Garage Door Opener?
Hopefully, you have a battery backup system so your garage door opener is accessible even during a power outage. It’s required on all doors installed in California after 2018, but it’s still a good idea no matter when your garage door opener was installed. It just ensures your garage door opener is always accessible, which is highly convenient whether there’s an emergency or routine power outage.
If you don’t have battery backup, you can buy a kit to install battery backup on any existing garage door. We’d be happy to help you install it. We do all sorts of garage door repairs and installations for the Elk Grove, California area.