Garage doors add convenience to your home life, keep your cars safe from the weather and act as storage space, but they can also pose safety and security challenges. Thousands of people are injured from garage doors every year. As such, it crucial to understand some of the risk garage doors pose and how to avoid potential injuries. Here are some garage door safety tips to bear in mind.
Garage Door Safety Tips - Preventing Damages or Injury
Some safety precautions you can take when it comes to garage doors include checking the sensors, and regularly inspecting your garage. It also helps to keep passwords secret, and to test the reverse mechanism. Here are the ways to utilize these methods.
Routinely Check the Safety Door Sensors
Garage door safety sensors are designed to reverse the direction of a closing door if it detects an object under it. This feature helps to prevent injuries by going in the opposite direction if a person or an animal were to walk under the door, for example. Over time, your garage doors will need repairs so be sure to check that your sensors are working properly. You can test the sensor by placing a soft object under the garage door as it’s closing. When the object blocks the beam, the door should stop immediately and reverse. This will also test the reversing mechanism. If the sensors aren’t working, have them adjusted or repaired as soon as possible.
Keep Passwords Secret
Being able to use a smartphone app or keypad to open your garage door is a great feature because you can open your door from afar as well as during emergencies. If you forgot the house keys, remotes will allow you to gain access. However, it’s crucial that you don’t share your passwords with others. Teach your kids not to share the passcode with anyone.
Regular Inspections
Visually inspect your garage door every month or so. Check the rollers, springs, pulleys and cables for any signs of wear. Don’t attempt to adjust or repair any of these parts on your own as garage doors can be very dangerous. Call a professional garage door repairman as they are well trained and competent enough to handle repairs safely.
Watch Your Fingers
Teach your children to exercise caution whenever they’re near the garage door. Several reports indicate more than 7000 injuries result from fingers getting caught between door sections each year so be sure to warn your children against keeping their fingers near the joints between panels when the garage door is closing.
Bottom Line
If, for any reason, your garage door isn’t up to today’s safety standards or damaged beyond repair, seek professional help. Schedule preventive maintenance to ensure your door is working as it should. With these garage door safety tips, your garage door should work seamlessly all year round.
