Have you ever worried about getting trapped in your home when you’re trying to escape to safety during a natural disaster or other emergencies? Luckily, your garage door has a failsafe feature for those very reasons. This feature is the garage door emergency release.
The garage door emergency release is often found on the overhead trolley in the form of a dangling red cord. The cord is pulled to disengage the door from the opener. When it comes to this safety feature, you probably want to know how to set and reset your garage door emergency release. Read this blog to learn how to install, use, and reset this feature.
Installing A Garage Door Emergency Release
The emergency release first needs to be securely connected to the overhead trolley. To do this, you can thread one end into the handle where the emergency release lever is located. Secure it by tying a knot either an inch or half an inch from the end. The cord shouldn’t be too long, but it should be within your grasp.
Using A Garage Door Emergency Release
Knowing how to use the emergency release correctly will ensure that you don’t accidentally damage your garage door. If you need to leave your home due to an emergency, here’s how to ensure you correctly use this garage door safety feature.
1. Prior To Any Emergency, Make Time To Check The User Manual
Every garage door opener brand works differently. In order to avoid any problems in the midst of an emergency, take time to read the user manual. This will provide clarification regarding how to properly use the emergency release and answer any questions you may have at that time.
2. Keep Your Garage Door Springs In Good Shape
The ability of this feature to work successfully depends on the condition of your springs. Staying vigilant about your garage door springs by ensuring they get the care they need when you notice something amiss will prevent you from being trapped in your garage. Now it’s time to learn how to use this feature.
3. Pull The Red Release Cord Away From The Trolley
During an emergency, pull the red release cord away from the trolley. This will detach the trolley from the carriage or opening mechanism, allowing you to open and close the garage door manually. You should be able to lift and lower the garage door easily. If you are experiencing difficulty doing so, it means your garage door springs are broken and need replacing.
Resetting A Garage Door Emergency Release
After you’ve been in a situation where you had to use the release and are finally able to return home, you probably want to know how to reset the garage door emergency release. You can reset this safety feature by first going into the garage and ensuring the garage door is closed. Next, pull the red cord back in the direction of the garage door carriage until you hear a “click.” That sound means the emergency release is re-engaged or reset. In other words, your garage door opener should be able to operate automatically once again.
Get Your Garage Door Emergency Ready With Overhead Garage Door Repair Cypress!
Whether there’s a power outage or fire, you are now more prepared to use your garage door emergency release than before. As long as you keep your garage door springs in good shape and commit to other essential parts of garage door upkeep, you should have no problems using this safety feature during an actual emergency. If your garage door is too heavy to lift when using this emergency feature, reach out to our Overhead Garage Door Repair Cypress technicians today.