Are You Ready for an Emergency? Learn How the Emergency Release on Your Garage Door Could Save Your Life
Most people don’t give a second thought to the emergency release on their garage door until they are in an emergency. If it is not working, or you do not know how to use it, it could be the difference between surviving and dying. At Dynamic Garage Door we work to provide fire-resistant materials for our custom garage doors and we want to ensure that every customer knows how to use the emergency release on their garage door.
Ways in Which Your Emergency Release System Can Save Lives
First, let us show you how this can truly save your life – especially in California. Imagine that a wildfire came through your neighborhood. If your garage is attached to your home and the only way to get out safely, what happens if you have lost electricity and can’t get the door open? Even if you have other exits from your home that you can access, how can you get your car to get to safety if you cannot open your garage door?
In both of these scenarios, being able to use the emergency release system could save your life. It is true that there is now an industry standard that backup batteries must be installed so that even if power is cut, the garage opener works. Still, do you want to risk your life that you will remember to check that the battery works on a regular basis? It is worth knowing how to use the emergency release.
Yes, This Does Really Happen
It may seem that this is an old wives’ tale: The idea that people have died due to their garage not opening. Unfortunately, it is all true. In fact, in 2017 there were five people killed when they got trapped in their garage during a fire. They could not open the garage door and they died as a result. In fact, it was their deaths that led to the law requiring garage doors all have battery backups.
What an Emergency Release Cord is and How to Use It
Every garage door should have an emergency release cord hanging down from the garage door opener. There should be a handle at its base that hangs a few feet below the ceiling. Depending on how high the garage is, coupled with the height of the person trying to open the garage, a stool may be needed to use it.
The emergency cord works by disconnecting the carriage from the trolley, which then allows the door to slide without power. You will have to lift the garage door manually but there will be no resistance. Using it is simple once you can reach it: Pull the cord down and the garage should be easy to open and close. If are in need of other garage door safety features, contact Dynamic Garage Door now at 855-343-3667 to learn more.
