When life closes a door, it sometimes opens a window. But when that door is your garage door and you have no windows--what happens then? 

Step 1: Don't panic.

Take a few deep breaths to remind yourself that you aren't in harm's way and that you have resources available. Like your house keys. And your smart phone. And your garage door owner's manual.

Step 2: Make sure the door isn't locked.

You'd be surprised how often a locked door is mistaken for a jammed one, particularly after panic sets in (refer to Step 1 to avoid this). Is your garage opener set to vacation mode? Did someone lock the door manually without being aware you were inside? See if you can correct these situations first.

Step 3: Inspect the door.

If door is not locked, inspect the garage door for the possible mechanical and electrical issue to determine what the problem may be. Broken torsion springs or misaligned tracks may be to blame. Also, an unexpected power outage could also be the culprit.

Step 4: Engage the emergency release.

In the case of a power outage, engaging the emergency release is the quickest and safest way to open a garage door. Usually located under the garage door opener motor, the emergency release is typically labeled as such or at the very least is accessible with a dangling string. Every garage door should have an emergency release feature. If the problem is a mechanical malfunction, and the door is legitimately stuck, look around the garage for possible egress options.

Step 5: Call 911

It's easy to assume you would have your phone with you in this situation, so if all else fails, use it. If you do not have your phone, and you've committed this blog post to memory, start making noise and call for help.   

Once again, given today's standards in garage safety and home design, chances are you would have to be having a very bad day to get trapped behind a stuck garage door--no keys, no phones, no windows to break, immovable garage door with no emergency release, etc. Keep these tips and your wits about you, and you can be relatively confident this situation will never happen to you.

If your garage isn't opening or closing correctly with your remote...

Click below for our guide: 6 Signs You Need a New Garage Door. It's complete with tips for getting your garage door working again!

Also, for answer to your garage door opener questions, checkout our new Garage Door Opener 101 guide.