Need to manually open or close your garage door? Whether there’s a power outage or your opener just isn’t working, knowing how to disengage and reengage your garage door opener can come in handy.
Here’s a simple breakdown to help you do it safely and confidently.
All Openers Have A Disengage Lever
Every automatic garage door opener comes with a manual release mechanism – usually a lever or a cord you can pull to disengage the motor. The location of this release varies depending on the type of garage door opener you have.
Roller Door Openers
- The disengage lever is typically found at the bottom of the opener or near the motor drive unit located on the side of the door.
Sectional & Tilt Door Openers
- For these types, the release cord or lever is usually located near the drive arm that connects the opener to the door.
How To Disengage The Opener
To disengage the opener and operate the door manually:
- Locate the disengage cord or lever.
- Pull it straight down (or as directed for your specific unit).
This will disconnect the door from the motor, allowing you to move it by hand.
How To Reengage The Opener
Once power is back on or you’re ready to use the opener again, reengaging it is just as simple:
- Some units reengage automatically when you press the remote or wall button.
- Others require you to pull the disengage cord again, press a reengage button, or flick the lever back into place.
Brand-Specific Tips
Merlin Roller Door Openers (e.g. SilentDrive Elite MR655MYQ)
- Pull the disengage cord once to release the motor.
- Pull the cord a second time to reengage.
Merlin Sectional/Tilt Door Openers (e.g. Commander Elite MS105MYQ)
- Pull the disengage cord to disengage.
- Press the green button to reengage the motor.
Not Sure Or Stuck?
If you would prefer to hire an expert for your garage door issues, give me (Callum) at Lightning Garage Door Solutions a call.
We’ve been helping Brisbane locals with garage doors and openers for over 10 years. We’re fully licensed, insured, and everything we do is backed by our Lightning Warranty.