How do I manually open my garage door during a power outage?

Published 2026-10-18 · Gold Coast, Queensland

If a storm has knocked the power out and your car is stuck behind the garage door, you can almost always open it by hand using the opener's manual (emergency) release. The one thing to get right is when you pull it, because pulling the release on a door that's open, or on a door with a broken spring, can bring it down hard.

Before you touch the cord: three quick checks

1. Is it actually a power cut? If the house lights work but the garage door doesn't, check the switchboard for a tripped circuit and make sure the opener's power point is on. If the whole street is out, you can check the outage on Energex's website (Energex runs the power network on the Gold Coast).
2. Is the door fully closed? The safest time to use the release is with the door fully down.
3. Does the door look normal? Even, straight, cables in place, no obvious gap in the spring. If not, see the warning above.

Find your door type

The release works the same way in principle on every opener: it disconnects the door from the motor so the door can move freely. Where you find it depends on your door:

Some openers also have an external key release, a small keyed lock on the outside of the door or frame, for homes where the garage is the only way in. If yours has one, the same safety rules apply.

Sectional and tilt doors: step by step

1. Make sure the door is fully closed and nothing is under it.
2. Pull the release cord straight down (not towards the door at an angle) until you feel or hear it click. The trolley is now disconnected from the drive.
3. Lift the door from the bottom, using the handle or bottom panel, not the cord. Lift with your legs and keep it smooth. A well-balanced door should feel manageable and move evenly.
4. Lift it all the way up. A correctly balanced sectional door should stay up on its own. If it starts drifting down, don't stand or drive under it; lower it carefully and get it checked.
5. If it feels very heavy, jerks, or one side lags, stop, lower it and call. That's a spring or cable problem, not something to force.

Roller doors: step by step

1. With the door closed, pull the release cord or lever on the motor unit (check the label on the motor or the manual for your brand).
2. Lift from the bottom rail in the centre. Roller doors are balanced by springs in the drum, so a healthy door shouldn't feel like dead weight.
3. Lift the curtain fully so it doesn't hang down into the opening as you drive out.
4. If it binds or rubs in the side guides, don't force it; the curtain can crease or jump the guide.

Securing your home while the power's out

This is the step most guides skip. Once the release is pulled, the door is no longer locked by the motor, so anyone can lift it from outside. If you're leaving the house during the outage:

• Close the door by hand and use the door's manual slide lock or deadlock if it has one.
• If there's no manual lock, consider re-engaging the release with the door closed (see below). On many openers the trolley will re-latch and hold the door shut even without power.
• Don't leave the door open overnight during a storm: wind and rain can do more damage to an open door than a closed one.

When the power comes back: re-engage and reset

1. Close the door fully by hand.
2. Re-engage the release. On most ceiling-rail openers you pull the cord down again, or towards the motor, until it clicks; on others you just run the opener and the trolley re-latches automatically as it travels. Roller door motors vary, so check the label or manual for your brand.
3. Run the door with the remote or wall button and watch a full open and close.
4. If it stops short, reverses, or doesn't close properly, the opener may have lost its travel limits after the outage. Many openers have a reset or "learn limits" procedure in the manual; otherwise it's a quick job to have reset.
5. If the remote doesn't work but the wall button does, try a fresh battery before assuming the opener has been damaged.

Opener dead after the storm?

If the power is back but the opener does nothing, first check your switchboard and the opener's power point, then turn the opener off at the wall for a minute and back on. Lightning and power surges during summer storms can damage opener circuit boards. If the opener still shows no signs of life, it needs diagnosing. Read more about motor and opener repairs.

Get ready before storm season

• Show everyone in the house where the release cord is and how it works. Chamberlain's own guidance recommends making it part of your household emergency plan.
• Check the cord isn't frayed, still has its handle, and hangs at a height you can reach (but not so low a car roof can snag it).
• If someone in the house can't lift the door by hand, or the garage is the main way in, ask about an opener with battery backup. Existing openers usually can't be retrofitted, so it's normally a motor replacement.
• Have the door serviced so the springs are balanced. A balanced door is far easier and safer to lift by hand. See garage door servicing.

Quick answers

Can I pull the emergency release when the door is open?

Avoid it. If the springs are weak or broken, the door can drop as soon as it's released. Only release a door that's open if you're sure it's balanced, and keep clear of the doorway.

The door won't lift even with the release pulled. What now?

Check there's no manual lock engaged. If it's unlocked and still won't lift, or it's extremely heavy, assume a broken spring or cable and call. Don't try to lever it up.

Will pulling the release damage my opener?

No. It's designed to be used. Just re-engage it with the door closed, as above.

References used for this guide: manufacturer instructions from B&D and Chamberlain. Always follow the manual for your specific opener where it differs from these general steps.