How to manually open a roller garage door

Electrically operated roller doors are convenient and secure, but what happens during a power failure? Unless you have a battery backup in place, the door will stop working and you’ll need to operate it manually. In this guide, we will show you how to open and close your electrically operated door with the power off.

1. Disconnect the motor

All electric garage door openers have a manual release mechanism. This is located directly above the door and is usually operated by a pulling red cord. Pull the cord once until it locks into the open position.

2. Open the door manually

Once the mechanism has been disconnected you should be able to open and close the door manually. Electrically operated doors can be heavy, so grab the door with both hands and lift it. If the door is stuck, ensure the release mechanism has locked into place by pulling the cord again.

3. Hold the door open

Electric garage doors are weighted to allow them to close easily. This means when the motor is disconnected the door will fall to the ground once you let go of it. Get someone to hold the door open for you while you drive your car in or out. You can also prop the door open with a solid piece of wood.

4. Close the door carefully

Once you have removed your vehicle, close the door carefully. Do not let the door fall down under its own weight, as this can damage the door and track. Keep hold of the door so that it falls gently into the closed position.

5. Reconnect the mechanism

Once the door is safely closed reconnect the mechanism by pulling the manual release cord again. You should be able to feel the mechanism re-engaging with the roller. Once power has been restored, test the door to ensure it is working correctly. If you find the motor is running but the door is not opening, pull the manual release cord again to ensure the motor is properly engaged.

Warning: Do not pull the manual release cord if the door is open. This will cause the door to come crashing down. Ensure open doors are secured properly before pulling the release cord.

If you need assistance to operate a powered garage door, no matter if it is stuck open or if you’ve lost the remote, Sesame Garage Doors have experts on hand to help. Give our team a call on 02 9604 1169 or use the form here.