Garage doors are often ignored as a potential safety hazard and can pose a safety concern for people of all ages if not operated correctly or properly maintained. Follow these safety tips to ensure the safety of yourself, your family, and your friends.
- Garage door remote
Once you install a garage door, let your children know that garage doors and remotes are potentially dangerous and should not be tampered with or played with like toys. Remind them to keep a safe distance from a moving garage door at all times. As an additional precaution, keep the door opener remote out of their reach and make sure the door opener button is installed about five feet above the ground.
- Regular garage door inspections
A garage door inspection can help you catch developing flaws and faults in time before they cause an injury. Inspect the cables, the rails, and the gears and make sure that everything works properly. You also need to inspect the movement of the door on the rails by opening and closing it a few times.
- Your garage door security
Consider installing smart garage door security systems such as the LiftMaster MyQ technology which notifies you if your door is left open. You can also remotely monitor, close and open your garage door from anywhere using a downloadable smartphone app.
- Keep garage remote passwords secret.
Many companies design openers that allow you to set user-specific and one-time codes. This can come in handy if you have a delivery or someone that needs one time access. There are also smartphone apps like the aforementioned that give you more control over your garage door monitoring and access passwords.
- Keep an eye on the garage door springs
Your garage door spring is what supports most of the garage door weight and facilitates the movement of your door. After thousands of ups and downs, most garage door springs succumb to wear, tear and tension and might snap. When this happens, you don’t want to be caught under your garage door. Broken garage door spring replacement and repair issues generally need to be left to experienced and trained garage door repair professionals.
- Keep your garage door fully closed when not in use
Leaving your garage door partially open creates a serious safety hazard. It may not go in the direction you’re expecting when you try to operate it next time. Additionally, it invites intruders who might steal your valuables or harm your family members.
- Install an auto-reverse feature
If your garage door doesn’t have an auto-reverse feature yet, we strongly recommend that you install one. This feature works by stopping and reversing a closing garage door if an object gets in the path of the door. This is important since it prevents a person, a vehicle or any object from being crushed under the weight and force of a closing door. If your garage already has a sensor installed, regularly check it to see that it’s working properly.
- Never race a closing garage door
While the auto-reverse feature is designed to protect you from being crushed by the garage door, there’re just those days when these tech things wake up with their own mind. This is why trying to walk, run or drive under a closing garage door with the target of beating it is a perfect setup for an injury and accidents. Even with a working auto reverse sensor, you need to get under it to trigger it, and if you misjudge the height of the closing garage door, you might knock yourself on the door panel really bad.
- Watch out for sharp edges on the garage door tracks
Over 700 people each year get garage door related cuts in the U.S. alone. Most of these cut injuries resulting from garage door’s tracks and other sharp edges. While they are almost always minor cuts, you run a risk of getting an infection if the metal has rust or some form of dirt. To prevent this, always inspect and smooth out sharp exposed metal edges and wear protective gloves when working on your garage door.
- Hire a garage door repair professional
While there are garage door maintenance issues you can perform on your own such as garage lubrication and minor repairs, always hire professional garage door repair service for complicated repairs. Projects like broken garage door spring replacement, for instance, should not be attempted by inexperienced and untrained homeowners as they can potentially cause nasty injuries and even death. Trained professionals have the tools, skills, and experience needed to troubleshoot your garage door repair issues ensuring that your door operates conveniently and safely.
If your garage door isn’t up to today’s safety standards or is damaged beyond repair, A-Authentic Garage Door Service & Repair Co. can help. Call us today for service.