In an average house, the most vulnerable emergency release mechanism is the one on your garage door opener. In case of a power outage or equipment failure, you may find yourself needing to operate your garage door manually. This is a simple procedure, requiring only a few steps and with just a small amount of precaution, you can easily release and reset your own garage door whenever needed.
The release system disengages your overhead door from your opener so that it can be used during a power outage. The system features an emergency release cord that hangs down, usually with a red handle. Pulling this cord activates the release system. This means the door can be opened manually, as well as bypassing the locking system of your opener.
Burglars can break into your garage by activating the emergency release cord. This is done by inserting a wedge between the door and the wall at the top. It will easily slide behind the weather stripping, creating a very small gap. The wire coat hanger is inserted through this narrow gap. Now comes the patience. The hook at the end of the coat hanger has to grasp the release mechanism. Trying to grab the pull cord won’t work because you won’t have the right leverage to pull it down. After some practice, this trick can be pulled off in just six seconds, believe it or not.
Be sure to check out THE GARAGE SHIELD. It provides an added layer of security as well as peace-of-mind against garage break-ins.
« Back to Home Security Guide