Storms, ice and high winds knock out power across Northeast Ohio every year. When the lights go out, your garage door opener stops too. You can still open and close the door by hand, but there’s a safe way to do it. Here’s what to do before, during and after an outage.
How the emergency release works
Every opener has an emergency release: a cord, usually with a red handle, hanging from the trolley on the opener rail. Pulling it disconnects the door from the opener, so you can move the door by hand. The door’s springs do most of the lifting, so a door in good shape should feel fairly light.
How to open the door by hand
- Make sure the door is fully closed if you can. Pulling the release while the door is open is risky. If a spring is weak or broken, the door can drop fast.
- Pull the red release cord straight down, or down and back toward the motor, depending on your opener. You’ll hear or feel the trolley unlatch.
- Lift the door from the bottom handle or the bottom section. Keep your fingers away from the joints between the sections.
- Lift it all the way up. A balanced door should stay open on its own. If it starts to fall or feels very heavy, lower it carefully and don’t use it. That’s a sign of a spring problem.
If the door is heavy, get a second person to help, and never stand or walk under a door that won’t stay up.
How to close the door by hand
Pull the door down slowly using the handle or the bottom section. Don’t let it drop. Keep children, pets and cars clear of the doorway.
How to lock the door during an outage
When the opener is disconnected, it no longer holds the door shut. That means the door can be lifted from the outside. To keep your home secure:
- Use the manual slide lock if your door has one. It’s on the inside, near one side of a lower section, and slides a bar into a hole in the track.
- Lock the door between the garage and the house, as you always should.
- If you have no slide lock, a C-clamp tightened on the track just above a roller keeps the door from rising. Remove it before you use the door again.
Our post on how to lock a garage door covers more options.
When the power comes back
This is when people most often damage their opener. Follow these steps:
- Unlock every manual lock and remove any clamps first. If the opener runs against a locked door, it can strip gears or bend the door.
- Reconnect the trolley. On most openers, you pull the release cord toward the door or the motor to reset the latch, then press the button. The trolley travels along the rail and clicks back onto the door. Check your opener’s manual for your model.
- Run the door through a full cycle and watch it. It should move smoothly and reverse if something blocks the sensors.
After a storm: check for damage
Power surges can damage an opener’s logic board, and storms can damage the door itself. Call a technician if:
- The opener has power but doesn’t respond, or blinks an error code.
- The remotes or keypad stopped working and a new battery doesn’t help.
- A falling branch or wind dented a section or bent a track.
- The door feels heavier than before, or it won’t stay open when lifted halfway.
If a storm damaged your door, we work with all insurance companies and can give you a written estimate and photos for your claim.
Consider a battery backup
Many newer openers from LiftMaster, Chamberlain and Genie can run on a battery backup for a limited number of cycles when the power is out. If you often lose power, or if the garage is your main way in and out, a battery backup is worth asking about. Ask whether your current opener supports one, or whether a new opener makes more sense.
Power outage safety tips
- Never run a generator inside the garage, even with the door open. Carbon monoxide builds up fast.
- Don’t use the release cord to lower a door that’s open and hard to control. Wait for help.
- Don’t try to adjust the springs or cables if the door feels heavy.
- Keep a flashlight in the garage so you can see the release cord in the dark.
- Close and secure the door before high winds arrive. The Door & Access Systems Manufacturers Association (DASMA) says in its data sheet on garage doors and high wind events that a garage door should be closed and secured before a high wind event, and it does not recommend operating garage doors during one.
Need help after an outage?
Proactive Garage Door Repair helps homeowners across Brunswick, Medina County and Northeast Ohio with openers that won’t reconnect, storm damage and doors that feel too heavy. 24/7, a real human answers. No AI. Technicians nearby, often at your door within 1 hour. 24/7, a real human answers. No AI. Technicians nearby, often at your door within 1 hour. We call you when we’re on the way. The estimate is free, and you get the exact price before any work starts. See our garage door opener repair page or call (440) 876-4444.
