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Can’t Open Garage Door. Emergency Release Not Working. Help Needed.

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kngelv

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Detroit, MI
My cousin had a neighbor using her garage for storage for his landscape business. He had been charging her $35.00 a week to cut her lawn even with this free storage for the past five years since my uncle and aunt passed away. He claimed doing her snow for no charge was sufficient. Last year he did the snow three times. I recenty found out about it and told him he also had to do her lawn weekly too. She is a little off and I have been trying to help her. After 5 months of this arrangement he found another client to take advantage of so he moved his stuff out and “coincidentally” now she can’t open the door. It has a Liftmaster chain drive opener thats about 15 years old. The remote no longer works even with a fresh battery. I suspect he did something like a code change or something out of spite but he denies this. I tried the emergency release key cable at the upper part of the door and nothing happens. I’m a pretty strong guy and not sure how much more I can pull it without breaking it.
It has a side access door but my uncle had driven rods behind it into the cement so it cannot open from the outside. There is no remote keypad either. I’m hoping someone has a creative solution to try. As it stands busting down the side door looks like my only option. Thoughts or ideas are more than welcome. Thank you.

James
 
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bwringer

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If it's the emergency release rope that hangs down, you have to pull it straight down. How are you pulling that without access to the inside? If you're somehow snagging it from the side it may not work.

Does the building have power? Can you tell whether the opener is still plugged in and powered up?
 
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steves_001

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Southern MN / Northern MN
Just out of curiosity, have you tried to lift the door at all? Like if the power to the opener was out, and the cable was already released when the door was up, just shutting the door down would have been done. Just a thought.

Otherwise, if the key/cable does not release it, (does not take that much effort to pull those to release the door) then if the side door is panelized, you could cut the bottom panel out and try to remove those rods. Or, at least see what is blocking the door. Repairing the panel would be easier than the whole door.
 
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CombatNinja

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So the side entry door opens in and he drove rebar into the slab inside the garage? What a dickbag.
 
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PCustoms

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CombatNinja said:
So the side entry door opens in and he drove rebar into the slab inside the garage? What a dickbag.
Click to expand...

FYI:
kngelv said:
It has a side access door but my uncle had driven rods behind it into the cement so it cannot open from the outside.
Click to expand...

@kngelv any windows to hopefully see what's going on?

Unless there's an obvious solution (like power is out), might have to break something to get in. Window or side door is probably cheapest.
 
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kngelv

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PCustoms said:
FYI:


@kngelv any windows to hopefully see what's going on?

Unless there's an obvious solution (like power is out), might have to break something to get in. Window or side door is probably cheapest.
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Small window with some light filter on it. Too small for anyone to get in.

James
 
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kngelv

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bwringer said:
If it's the emergency release rope that hangs down, you have to pull it straight down. How are you pulling that without access to the inside? If you're somehow snagging it from the side it may not work.

Does the building have power? Can you tell whether the opener is still plugged in and powered up?
Click to expand...

Definitely has power. The emergency release is one of those keyed cables about 3/4 up the door. My mothers has the same set up and it works without issue. This garage was built in 1954 so it is a very thick solid old door. I was just hoping for a trick way to open the main door. Would like to avoid busting up the side door. I’m also considering just busting the window and enlarging the hole so we can get in and then install a larger window. I like that idea vs. busting down the door. Trust me it will have an external keypad, a working release and side door access after all of this.

James
 
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Snip's

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If you can't snag the emergency pull cord release from the outside, and before you start damaging the door and window, it might be cheaper to call a locksmith or garage door repairman first...
 
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nadogail

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Coronado, CA
Look for a slide bolt attached to the door that may be engaged in the rail.

Get a Garage Door Repairman or a Locksmith to make it work.
 
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shoot summ

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nadogail said:
Look for a slide bolt attached to the door that may be engaged in the rail.

Get a Garage Door Repairman or a Locksmith to make it work.
Click to expand...
According to the OP the overhead door is the only access to the garage, no way to latch the door from the inside and leave after.

Sounds like the OP is not properly disengaging the emergency release from the outside, or it has been disabled. If the Owner went to the effort of blocking the man door with rebar, I would think the release would be disabled as well. If that is the case the only option is some sort of destruction.
 
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Wrench97

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Sounds like there is pressure on the emergency release latch, possibly from the the door being closed on some debris or the pad heaving.
Try pushing down on the door while pulling the release. Or pulling out and down on the top panel.
 
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bwringer

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racecougar said:
Assuming the emergency release actually is working, my next guess would be that the garage door spring failed. Without the spring assist, a garage door weighs enough to feel like it's still latched into the operator.
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Yep, this is a distinct possibility. May or may not have anything to do with the former occupant's actions, but that's not important at the moment.
 
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goldtang

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Western Australia
If you can’t pull the quick release, he may have put a zip tie so it can’t be opened . stops people fishing when there is the rope hanging down , could you get a borescope camera over the top of the door to see what is going on
 
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mike93lx

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Skooterj

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Slide 12" SawSall blade under side entry door and cut rebar off flush. Will probably destroy the door sweep, but those are cheap.
 
OP
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kngelv

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I have a Milwaukee camera that I'm going to try and get through the top of the door. I used an angle grinder to cut off the end of some bolts on the side door because my cousin claimed the bar went through them. They were about a foot above the handle. I heard a bunch of metal hit the ground after I punched the bolts out but it still won't open. The keyed cable is exactly like the one at my mothers house. It should be attached to the rope but I suspect it is not. The window in the front will not allow me to see anything because there is a bag of Preen against it. The lights are on because the jack@ss who was last in there never turned them off. I'm pretty sure I will be able to see both the track release and the back of the side door with the camera. I'll figure out what to do after that. I really don't want to cut the window out if I don't have to.

James
 
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Fav Onefour

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MN cold and hot
I'll say one thing. This garage sounds well secured.

That being said, it helps to think like a crook. What kind of window are we talking about? Unless it's some kind of fancy security glass, your average thief would whack that thing out without pausing. Single pane stuff is super easy to replace and cheap.

The metal that fell off your side door is hard to figure out. Did he put a cross bar barricade on that door? I've seen some of those installed with the brackets on the door and the frame. In swing or out?

BTW, I happened to be working on a building and saw some dudes creeping around the apartment building next door. It turned out they were doing some kind of raid. One guy had a door ram. It was impressive how fast that guy busted through the main. One hit did the job. It wasn't some kind of wimpy door and he basically knocked out the whole frame.

I like the fact you are trying to get in without wrecking anything. Maybe you will get lucky. If you have to make a hole, whack the side door. They are easier and cheaper to replace.
 
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jonesg

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i would have been in there in 20 minutes.
one way or another.
Take an angle grinder to the hinges, off with it.
 
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Snapped-off

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A window or cut a hole in the door and temporarily patch it with plywood would be my first 2 choice.
 
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rawen2

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High Desert of CO
If the man door is wood you might be able to cut a hole big enough to get your arm through and lift out the rebars that are in the floor (assuming they aren't grouted in) and reach the doorknob to unlock the door. Piece cut out could possibly be put back in place with wood putty and sanded/repainted to hide the patch.
 
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LB-1911

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bwringer said:
I don't know about the rest of you, but I am really eager to find out how this Saga of the Garage turns out.

So many mysteries!
Click to expand...
I'll be surprised if the previous tenant didn't leave at least a 3 yd dumpster worth of trash & misc. containers of waste oil.
 
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