How to Reset a Garage Door After a Power Outage
When the power goes out, you’ll likely be concerned about resetting clocks and other appliances in your home. Once you try to pull out of your garage, however, you could realize that you’ve forgotten to reset your door. Your garage door opener won’t work after a power outage because it runs on the same electricity as many other appliances in your home. And when it shuts off due to an outage, it needs a quick restart to start functioning again.
How to Operate an Electric Garage Door During a Power Outage
Before we jump into the specifics, here are a couple of tips for operating your garage door manually while the power is out.
Check the Position of the Door
Your garage door opener won’t work without electricity, so the first step to reset it is to break the connection between the opener and the door. However, before you attempt to disengage the garage door from the opener, check that the door is fully down.
If the power goes out while the garage door is still halfway open, disengaging the opener will cause it to come down quickly. At the very least, the sudden crash will damage the door, but in the worst case, it could injure you or damage any object in its way. While it’s possible to manually close your garage door if it remains partially open after the power goes out, it’s not safe. Have a garage door expert do it for you to avoid potential damage to the garage door system or injuries to yourself.
Pull the Emergency Release Cord
The little red rope hanging from the trolley of your garage door is standard for garage doors, regardless of brand. Pulling the emergency release cord detaches the trolley from the opener carriage, allowing you to lift the garage door. You’ll know the garage door is disconnected from the opener once you hear a little click after pulling the emergency release cord.
Manually Open and Close the Garage Door
Now, you can open your garage door fully and get anything essential out, like your vehicle, then close it manually. Be careful with this step and get help if you need it — make sure you’re closing it slowly. Be sure to close the garage door completely, too. The garage door opener won’t be able to connect until the garage door is fully shut.
A garage door is heavy, but the springs should make it easier to open and close. If it’s impossible to manually lift your garage door, you may have a problem with your springs, which a professional can look at.
How to Reset Your Garage Door Opener After a Power Outage
Follow these steps to reset your garage door when the power comes back after an outage:
Press the Close Button
After power is restored, you can get to work re-connecting the garage door and garage door opener. This shouldn’t be too challenging — just press the button to close your garage. The opener’s chain should automatically move the trolley to the correct position and connect your garage door’s arm.
Manually Attach the Trolley (If Needed)
In some cases, your garage door trolley may not be automatic. If this is true for your situation, then you’ll have to connect the arms of the garage door to the trolley on your own. Pull the red cord in the direction of the garage door until you hear the click. You’ll also see the spring door’s spring retract back into place at this point, and then you can manually reconnect the trolley.
Enjoy Your Functioning Garage Door
Once you follow those steps, the garage should start functioning properly again. Make sure you’re going through each step slowly and cautiously. If it still isn’t working after going through those steps or if you’re having trouble figuring out what you have to do, then make sure you get in contact with a professional service that can help you restore your garage door system to an operational state.
Contact the Garage Door Experts In Tennessee
Your garage door is an essential part of your home. When there’s an outage, you could find yourself stuck without being able to get your car out of the garage. While these steps can help guide you toward a successful reset, there may be times when your door still isn’t working. In those times, you should find reliable repair services like EXL Garage Doors to help.
With decades of experience in the industry and a focus on quality customer service, EXL Garage Doors is your go-to choice for garage door services. Whether you need emergency garage door service, installation, repairs, maintenance, or inspections, our garage door technicians have you covered for all garage door problems. Contact us today!
How to Fix Garage Door Rollers That Are Off Track
When your garage door doesn’t work as it should, getting your car in and out of the garage becomes less convenient. You may have to stop using the garage until you fix the issue, or you may need to get out of your vehicle and manually open and close the door when you leave and return home.
Off-track garage door rollers can lead to several issues. Fortunately, this problem is easy to fix with the help of a professional. You can also take steps to prevent your garage door rollers from going off track in the future.
Why Do Garage Doors Go Off-Track?
The typical garage door has 10 to 12 rollers, and one or more of them may go off track. Some common reasons rollers fall off the tracks include:
- Damaged tracks: Bent or damaged tracks can force rollers out of alignment.
- Loose tracks: The vibration of your door can loosen the bolts that hold the tracks in place.
- Force and impacts: If you hit your garage door with your car, you could send rollers off-track.
- Dirt and lack of lubrication: Built-up dirt and grime, along with a lack of lubrication, can throw rollers off-track.
How to Tell Whether Your Garage Door Rollers Are Off Track
If one or more of your garage door rollers are off track, there should be some visible signs, including:
- A door that’s stuck
- A door that hangs crookedly
- A door that’s hanging loosely
If you notice any problems with your garage door, don’t try to force it open or closed. Doing so could cause further damage to the tracks, push more rollers out of alignment or damage the door’s opening system.
How to Fix Off-Track Garage Door Rollers
The best course of action to take when there’s a problem with your garage door rollers and tracks is to call a professional to inspect and repair the issue. A garage door repair technician will tighten, clean and lubricate the tracks and hardware. They’ll also get to work fixing any problems with the tracks themselves.
While the exact steps a technician follows will depend on the problem, you can typically expect them to do the following:
- Disconnect the power: Pull the rope hanging down from the motor to engage manual operation for the door.
- Align the door: Line the rollers up to the spot where they jumped off the track, locking the door in place with vice grips.
- Open the track: To make room for the roller, use a pair of pliers to work the track open, then guide the roller into place.
- Close the track: Using a rubber or wooden mallet, hammer the track back into shape to prevent the rollers from coming off again.
- Check the door: Open and close the door a few times to check the repair before reconnecting your automatic garage opener.
After the technician has put the rollers back on track, they can provide you with some maintenance tips to prevent the problem from recurring. Basic track maintenance includes:
- Inspecting the rollers and track: Check the track and rollers regularly, such as once a month. Look for signs of dirt or debris buildup and ensure the rollers are in the grooves of the track.
- Lubricate the track: Apply lubricant to the track so the rollers run smoothly. Your technician can recommend the best product for your garage door system.
Turn to EXL Garage Doors for Track Repair
If you’ve noticed a problem with your garage door tracks and rollers, EXL Garage Doors can help. Our professional technicians can get your garage door back on track quickly, either by fixing the track or replacing the rollers.
If your garage door is off-track in the Nashville or Gallatin area, contact EXL Garage Doors today.
notice that any rollers are already off-track, call a professional to assess the situation and complete the right repairs. Such an expert will know how to replace your garage door rollers if necessary. If your garage door is off-track in the Nashville or Gallatin area, contact EXL Garage Doors today.