What Is an External Override on a Garage? 

While not as common in the UK as in other parts of the world, when they do happen, power cuts can be incredibly frustrating. As well as impacting your home appliances, lighting and heating systems, if your home has an electric garage door installed, then it could also restrict access to your garage.

If you have an electric garage door, then it’s important that you have a way to access your garage even during a power outage. This is where external overrides come in. 

At Rollerdor, we supply our customers with a whole range of garage door accessories, including overrides, that can help during power cuts. In this article, we’ll outline what external overrides are and how they can help.   

What is an external override?

Put simply, an external override is a small device that can be inserted into a port on the outside of your garage, allowing you to open it even if the power is out. When inserted into the access point, the person using the override can then manually open the garage door by winding open the roller curtain and gaining access to their garage.   

What is the purpose of an external override?

Suitable for all garage owners who don’t have a second entrance to their garage, the purpose of having an external override system installed is quite straightforward. 

Many garages do not have entrance doors, or other access points in the home that lead to the garage. This causes a problem, as it means that in the event of a power outage or if the electrics fail for whatever reason, you won’t be able to get into your garage. This could cause major disruption, especially if you store vehicles in your garage that you need to access but cannot.

By having an external override in place, you have a safety net in case of emergencies, and a guaranteed way to access your garage at all times.      

Do I need an external override?

Whether or not you require an external override depends on the current setup of your garage door. If your garage includes other doors that can be accessed from inside your property, then it may not be necessary to have an external override installed.

However, many properties do not have an alternative way into their garage, so an external override is necessary to ensure that access is possible in all circumstances.   

For more than a decade, the team here at Rollerdor has supplied properties throughout the UK with leading roller garage doors that bring a variety of benefits. This includes maximising space, keeping properties secure and enhancing aesthetics. Among the range of roller garage doors we supply are our electric garage doors, and whether you’re looking to install a new garage door or require external overrides to ensure you always have access, our team is here to help. All of our doors come as standard with an internal manual override for those who do have other access. To find out more about what we do, get in touch today.