What a great feeling is to arrive home, late after a hard day’s work knowing you’re just a click away from the remote button, away from your home’s cozy warmth.
This can be especially annoying if it is cold or raining outside. Suddenly, all your good humor disappears! A power outage! Relax, there is no need to panic, even if you are stuck out in the rain. We get so used to electricity and automatic devices we forget how they work. Remember basically all garage door openers have a bypass switch that will allow you to operate your door manually.
Setting the Garage Door to Manual
During a power outage, you must manually open and close your garage door. First, locate the Bypass switch. It is an emergency release cord on the garage door arm that opens the trolley to allow you to disengage the garage door from the opener.
Locate a cord hanging from a bracket on the chain. These cords are almost always red. It will have a plastic red knob on the end. Most often, the cord is located close to the door. You might need a ladder. The bypass disconnects the door from the powered carriage, but it remains on the track. Once you disconnect it, you can then lift it manually. The cord is hooked onto a small lever. Jerk on the cord using the knob. You will feel that the lever is spring-loaded; pull the cord until the lever locks in the down position.
To be safe, always activate the handle when the garage door is closed. If the door is up, it might come crashing down. Clear the area of people and objects when releasing in the up position. Never hang from the cord if it doesn’t release. It takes some force to disengage the lever but, hanging from it could cause damage to the rope or lever.
In case you still have some problems with the opener call Colorado Overhead Door CO. and we will gladly assist you with your garage door issues.
Power Restored: Now What?
Once the power has been restored, close your overhead garage door. To re-engage the trolley attachment, simply press the garage door opener button or “close” button if your garage door opener has two buttons.
In case you want to set back your garage door manually, just pull down on the cord, but this time towards the garage opening to keep the lever from engaging. Pull up on the door until it snaps into place and you’re back in automatic mode. Always keep your owner’s manual on hand. Consult it first before tinkering with your door. If you have any further questions regarding your garage door, call the experts in Colorado. Here at Colorado Overhead Doors, our team of professional technicians will answer any doubts on your garage door maintenance or problems. We have been serving the Front Range residents for over 30 years and our goal is to one day open all of Colorado’s garage doors.
Call us today and get a free estimate!