Releasing and Resetting Your Garage Door

February 18, 2016

If there is ever a time when you need to operate your garage door manually, we at Precision Door want to ensure you can do so safely and without the risk of damaging your equipment. We have put together a quick how-to guide to keep your garage door working smoothly with or without the motor.

Step 1

Safety First!

Garage doors are heavy and when released from the opening system, if there are any broken or damaged springs, they can crash down damaging anything in their way. To avoid any potentially nasty outcomes and to protect the door itself, always make sure the door is closed before switching to manual operation.

Step 2

Disengage Opener with Emergency Release Cord

The area where the garage door attaches to the rail consists of two main parts. The part directly attached to the door is the trolley and the opener carriage sits within the trolley and moves it open and closed. Hanging from the trolley, you will find a red cord. This is the emergency release cord. When pulled straight down, the cord will temporarily disengage a spring lever, releasing the trolley from the carriage. If you intend to keep the door in manual operation mode, pull the cord down and toward the motor. This will keep the lever disengaged, not allowing the trolley to reconnect.

Step 3

Close Door When Not In Use

The garage door can be left in manual mode as long as needed, but for safety purposes, always leave in the down position when not in use. You will also want to close the door before attempting to reconnect to the opener carriage.

Step 4

Reconnect Door to Opener Carriage

To reconnect motorized operation, simply pull the cord towards the door to re engage the spring lever. This will allow the trolley and carriage to reconnect. Then manually move the door up to the opener carriage until you hear a loud click or use the doors remote and they will reconnect automatically.

For a demonstration of this process, please watch our YouTube video, “How To Open Your Garage Door Manually.” If you have any problems or if your garage door needs repair, please contact Precision Door of Salt Lake City.