How to open an electric roller door in a power cut

Quick answer

Most electric roller garage doors have a manual override for power cuts, usually a winding handle that hooks into the motor from inside the garage, or an external override where one is fitted. Switch off the power to the door, then follow your manufacturer's instructions and wind slowly. If the override won't turn or the door sticks, stop and request a visit rather than forcing it.

Can you open an electric roller door without power?

Yes, most electric roller doors can be opened without power using a manual override built into the motor or fitted as an option.

A domestic electric roller door runs on a tubular motor inside the barrel. The override lets you turn the barrel by hand through the motor's gearing, so the curtain rolls up or down slowly. It is designed for occasional use in a power cut or if the motor fails, not as an everyday way to work the door.

Find out where your override is and how it works before you need it. The instructions handed over with your door will show the exact method for your motor.

What kinds of manual override are there?

The two main kinds are an internal winding handle used from inside the garage and an external override that can be used from outside, where one is fitted.

Internal crank or winding handle. A hooked or eyed rod that engages with a fitting on the motor end of the barrel, usually at one side of the box. Turning it winds the curtain up or down. It's the most common arrangement and needs another way into the garage, such as an internal door.
External override. Fitted where the garage has no other entrance, so you can reach the override from outside. It is normally key-operated so it can't be used by anyone else.
Battery backup. Not an override as such, but a battery unit that keeps the motor running for a limited number of open and close cycles during a power cut.

If your garage has no other way in and no external override or battery backup, it's worth adding one. Our battery backup and safety upgrades page explains the options.

How do I use the manual override safely?

Use the override slowly and gently, following your manufacturer's instructions, with the power to the door switched off first.

The exact steps vary by motor, but the general pattern looks like this:

Switch off the door's power at its fused spur or isolator, so the motor can't start unexpectedly if the power comes back while you're winding.
Find the winding handle, usually stored near the box, and check the instructions for your door.
Engage the handle with the override fitting and turn it steadily in the direction shown. It takes many turns, so be patient.
Wind it fully open before anyone or any vehicle passes under it. Don't try to wind it beyond its normal open or closed position.
Remove the handle and store it somewhere easy to find.

Never force the handle if it becomes very stiff. Keep children, pets and anyone else well clear of the opening, and never walk or drive under a door that is only partly open. On a heavy or wide door, have a second person watch the curtain while you wind.

What should I do when the power comes back?

When the power is restored, switch the door's supply back on and check it runs normally through a full open and close while you watch.

Some motors need to find their open and closed positions again after manual winding, and the first movement may be slow or in short steps. Follow your manufacturer's instructions for this. If the door stops in the wrong place, moves only while you hold the button, or the control box shows a fault, don't keep pressing. Do the monthly safety test from our safety guide before you rely on the door again.

What if the manual override won't work?

If the override won't turn, slips, or the door sticks part way, stop straight away and request a visit rather than forcing anything.

Forcing a winding handle can damage the motor gearing, pull the curtain out of its guides or let a heavy curtain drop. The cause may be a fault in the motor, a lath caught in a guide, a broken bottom rail or debris jammed in the guide channel. These are jobs for an engineer, who will make the door safe before working on it.

A repair visit, covering diagnosis and the first 30 minutes, is £119–£169 inc VAT, and the price is agreed before we come out. Parts are quoted before they're fitted. See our page on stuck roller door repairs for more.

Is battery backup worth having on a roller door?

Battery backup is worth having if the garage is your only way in or out with the car, or you'd struggle to use a winding handle.

A battery unit keeps the motor working for a limited number of cycles during a power cut, then recharges once the power returns. It's especially useful for anyone who finds winding hard work, and for garages with no internal door. Added to a new door, battery backup is £149–£279 inc VAT. Fitted to an existing electric door, it is £149–£279 inc VAT, as long as the motor and control box are compatible.

Questions

Where is the manual override on a roller garage door?

On most domestic electric roller doors the override fitting is at one end of the roller box, on the motor side, and is reached from inside the garage with a winding handle. Some doors also have an external override, usually key-operated, fitted for garages with no other entrance. The instructions handed over with your door show where yours is and how to use it.

Can I open my roller door from outside in a power cut?

Only if an external override or battery backup is fitted. Without either, the override is used from inside the garage, so you need another way in, such as a door from the house. If the garage door is your only entrance, ask about adding an external override or battery backup so you aren't locked out when the power goes off.

Is it safe to leave my roller door wound open during a power cut?

A door left fully open is normally fine for a short time, but don't leave a curtain part-way open where someone could walk or drive under it. Keep the door's power switched off until you're ready to use it again, then switch it back on and watch it through a full cycle. If anything seems wrong, stop and request a visit.