broken garage door opener - WTF?

[destillat]

So, I can't get into my garage...
Automatic door opener doesn't work. I know there is still power going to the unit, and I have 2 clickers, neither of which work. I don't have a side door to open it from the inside.
How the hell do I get in without breaking someting?

 

[RayFinkel]

You could shut off your electricity and try to open the garage manually?

 

[papasmerf]

On the back of the opener there are two screws that wires attach to. That
provides for a PB to open the door. Short the two terminals together. If this opens the door then your receiving unit is bad. If not you need to disconnect the unit from the door itself.

 

[tboy]

So, I can't get into my garage...
Automatic door opener doesn't work. I know there is still power going to the unit, and I have 2 clickers, neither of which work. I don't have a side door to open it from the inside.
How the hell do I get in without breaking someting?

Knowing hindsight is 20/20 but why the hell would you NOT install the override lock on the exterior of the garage?

As stated, check the circuit breaker and if that isn't tripped, drill out the screws holding the mounting bracket. If the unit is still receiving power and there is any action when you hit the remote, as stated, try to manually opening the door.

BTW: did you check the batteries in the remotes? (BOTH of them?)......

Other than that? Get out the sawzall.......

 

[james t kirk]

Other than that? Get out the sawzall.......

LOL, pretty much....

I was thinking just to reef on the door till you broke something...either the unit, or the door off it's hinges.

 

[robert99]

There should be a pull chord 1/2 way along the chain between the opener and the door. Once you pull on it you should be able to manually open the door. Just make sure the door isn't off the track or something before trying to lift it.

 

[james t kirk]

There should be a pull chord 1/2 way along the chain between the opener and the door. Once you pull on it you should be able to manually open the door. Just make sure the door isn't off the track or something before trying to lift it.

I think you (and a few others) are missing the MAIN POINT. (It's always dangerous to skim when reading isn't it.)

The ONLY door to the garage is THEE GARAGE DOOR.

He can't open the garage door, so he can't get in the garage.

The garage door is his only access to the garage and it won't open. (Ergo, he can't get at the manual release!) Hence tboy's advice of taking the sawzall to it and my advice to just reef on the door till something breaks. Either way, he's fucked. (Unless it is the batteries - which is possible.)

 

[robert99]

Thanks for pointing that out - I overlooked that - duh.

 

[oldjones]

Clearly illustrates the desirability of that side/man door—as well as the untrustworthiness of technology. Take tboy seriously, and plan where you are going to install the door, and do your Sawzall™ stuff there.

Like having a telephone that doesn't need AC; always have a plan B with techno stuff. What would you have done in a power failure?

 

[hairyfucker]

check the batteries,

if good, push the button on the remote and listen closely.

if there is noise you can diagnose a little.

if "whirring" but no movement then the plastic screw and gear inside of the opener is stripped. this could happen if the door is jamed, off the hinges, or has a broken lift spring.

if you hear nothing then the opener is possibly hosed.

my advise is to push button on the remote and hope for the wirring noise. if present then just pull with all your might during and open the door. you may want to bring some wood or blocks to keep the door open. i.e. get it open at least a foot and prop it open. from that point you can go to work.

if you ultimately get in and determine that you have the plastic screw and gear stripped you can get a replacement for about $10. no need for a new opener.

 

[Mencken]

What I have heard that some break in artists do is punch out a window in the garage door, then reach through and grapple the release cord and then open the door manually from outside. If you have no windows on the door or on the garage though you are SOL.

If your garage is attached it may be cheaper to go through an interior wall than damage the door itself. But I would check with a reputable contractor on that first. Would depend on wall materials, etc.

 

[OnTheWayOut]

Sure hope you don't have the beer fridge in the garage.

 

[anon1]

Go to the retailer, they should have other remotes that function on the same code.

 

[S.C. Joe]

Seems unlikely both remotes would go bad, its either the opener or a spring broke on the door, those doors are very heavy and need help from 2 springs to open....becareful, I broke my foot on a garage door with a broken spring...my worthless brother let go of it as we were lowering it cause it was heavy........

 

[The Bandit]

If your garage is attached it may be cheaper to go through an interior wall than damage the door itself.

It's usually a block wall for fire purposes.

 

[SquirtLover]

I hope you have a friend that has a drill or a sawzall if yours are in the garage.

 

[C Dick]

At one point when I was fixing my opener I managed to lock myself in the garage. The back door was locked from the inside. All my tools were outside, so I did not even have a wrench to disconnect the opener. It was such pure stupidity to fix it to the point that it would close, and not consider that it would not open. I honked the horn for a while, but my wife did not appear. Eventually she came to get me for dinner, she mentioned that she had been wondering why I was honking the horn.

Two remotes are not likely to lose battery at once. And you are better off to make an opening than to try and force it up. The wall is likely all brick, so I would make a small hole in the actual door, just enough to reach a pole in and pull the release handle, then patch it.

 

[Moraff]

It's usually a block wall for fire purposes.

Lot of time in modern construction they just use firecode drywall instead of block to save time and money.

 

[STASH]

If it's an aluminium skinned door, patching it later might be a challenge. This is a dilemma for sure.
So let us know what you eventually did to get in

 

[red]

I have had this happen to me and I was able to lift it manually.