I recently moved into a new house where the garage door only operates electrically via a remote or an app. Unfortunately, we've experienced two power outages that left my car and camping equipment stranded inside the garage. I'd really like to add a manual option for opening the door in case the power goes out again. At my old place, we had a manual release handle that allowed us to manually lift the door. Is there a way to set up something similar on my current garage door? Also, I'm aware of the pull string in the motor that lets the door operate manually, but I want to figure out a way to unlock it from the outside too.
3 Answers
Most garage doors have a disengagement mechanism inside. You pull a rope or some other type of pin that releases the door from the motor. If you can access that from the inside, you can open it manually. Just keep in mind, if you’re looking to open it from the outside without entering the garage, there are specific kits available for that purpose. It's a smart way to ensure access during outages without compromising security.
Totally agree, it's always good to have options in case of emergencies!
You can actually buy a device that lets you unlock your garage door during a power failure. It usually involves drilling just one hole and putting in a lock cylinder that connects to the emergency release handle with a cable. When the power goes out, just unlock it from the outside and pull the cable to release the door. Super simple and inexpensive!
Have you considered getting an opener with a battery backup? It lets you use the door even during power outages. Manually unlocking the door from outside can be tricky, but there are options like a keyed emergency release that allows you to disengage the opener with a simple turn of a key or pulling a cable. Check out those emergency release kits that only require a small hole in the door to install!
Yeah, I've seen those kits before! They’re pretty handy and only take a few minutes to set up.
Just be sure to hide the key well; you don’t want just anyone being able to unlock it!
I've seen some garages where people installed a separate entry door just for that purpose. You might want to consider that for easier access.