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A power outage can really disrupt your routine, especially if it affects your garage door. Resetting it is simple enough, but it’s possible to damage your garage door if you don’t know the correct way to operate it manually.
This guide will walk you through common issues and steps to take to get your garage door back on track.
“When there’s no electricity to operate the garage door system, the power outage may affect your garage door opener.”
Why Do Garage Doors Fail After Power Outages?
There are several reasons a garage door may fail after a power outage, including:
- Power surge: When the power returns, a surge can cause damage to your garage door opener’s circuitry.
- Loss of settings: If your garage door opener is programmed, it may lose programming after a power outage and no longer work properly.
- Safety mechanisms: Power outages can trigger safety features that prevent the door from functioning.
- Battery backup issues: If your garage door opener has a battery backup, it may not function properly if the battery is old or drained.
Operating Your Garage Door in Manual Mode
When you have no power and need access to your garage, you may need to operate it manually. When there’s no electricity to operate the garage door system, the power outage may affect your garage door opener.
Fortunately, manual release is simple enough to do. Most door openers have a backup garage door manual release option that can be used during an outage. The release cord is usually hanging from the trolley on the metal belt that attaches to the garage door operator box and the garage door itself. It’s often red and has a handle to help you pull the garage door open.
- Pull the hanging release cord away from the door. Make sure you don’t yank on the rope, as it can damage the system.
- The trolley of the door’s opener will disconnect from the carriage.
- Without the power to operate the garage door automatically, manual operation allows you to access your garage.
It’s important to use caution when operating your garage door manually. If you’re not careful, you can damage your door or property. If you notice resistance when you’re trying to manually open your garage door, stop. It’s time to contact a professional garage door technician to inspect the door and ensure that no components are damaged.
Common Reasons a Garage Door Won’t Open After a Power Outage
Tripped breaker boxes: One of the most common reasons for garage doors that won’t open after a power outage is a tripped breaker box. Sometimes, the breaker box doesn’t look like it’s been tripped, but quickly resetting the breakers can get your door working again.
Faulty Outlets
Sometimes, electricity from a storm fries the outlet in your garage, causing the garage door to malfunction. If the breaker isn’t the problem, check the power outlet in your garage. Unplug the garage door opener, then plug another appliance into the outlet to see if it’s working properly. If not, you’ll need to call an electrician.
Fried GFCI Outlets
It’s possible for the GFCI outlet to be damaged after a storm. Try resetting the GFCI outlet in your garage. If that’s the cause of the door not opening, call an electrician.
Damaged Garage Door Opener
Your garage door may not be opening after a power outage because the garage door opener itself is damaged. If that happens, you will need to manually open the door and reset it to make it operational again.
Resetting the Garage Door Opener After a Power Outage
If you find that your garage door opener is no longer working after a power outage, resetting it is often enough to get it working again. Here’s how:
- Start with the door in a closed position. Make sure it’s completely closed.
- Pull the release cord toward the door to reconnect the garage door’s power components.
- Carefully run the garage door opener for a cycle. Open the door and close it fully. Listen for any strange or loud sounds.
- Once you hear a click, you know the door is locked in place and back on its track to operate automatically.
- The garage door remote or button on the wall should be functional. With a single press, your garage door should operate just as it did prior to the outage.
Following these steps should get your garage door running again after a power outage. If you notice any odd sounds while using the garage door opener or the door’s operation has issues, it’s time to contact a professional garage door technician to repair the door.
Call a Professional Garage Door Technician
If you’ve gone through the steps to fix your garage door and it’s still not functioning – or you encountered problems with manual operation or resetting it – call a professional technician for garage door repair in Pflugerville, such as Austin’s Greater Garage Doors. We can repair a garage door that’s not working after a power outage, reset the garage door opener, or install a new garage door opener to get you up and running. Contact us today!
