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June has been declared National Garage Door Safety Month. As the largest moving object in your home, it’s important that your garage door is properly maintained and inspected to keep it operating safely.
Garage doors can weigh up to 600 lbs and can be a real safety hazard if they fall into disrepair. When you factor in how frequently the garage door is used on a weekly basis, the chances that an injury can occur when components aren’t functioning properly increases with each passing year.
Every year, hospitals see a significant number of patients with serious injuries caused by garage doors and there have even been deaths reported due to garage door accidents. With that in mind, here are seven safety tips to help prevent garage door accidents.
7 Tips for National Garage Door Safety Month
The summer months bring more pleasurable weather, which means more activity and traffic coming in and out of your household. From sporting equipment to gardening supplies, homeowners and their families naturally use their garage doors more frequently in the summertime. With your garage door working overtime it is even more important that you make sure every part of your garage door is in good working condition. Here is a helpful list of maintenance tips and add-ons that can make your garage door safer and more efficient.
- Check Your Electric Eye or Auto-Reverse – Since 1993, all garage doors openers are required to have an external entrapment protection system which consists of an electric eye sensor that detects if anything is in the path of a closing garage door. If the eye detects an object, the garage door reverses to its original position. Older garage doors also had an auto-reverse feature but the door only reacted once it made contact with an object.
To test your electric eye, simply place an object under the door and try to close it. If your eye is working, your garage door should not move or reverse immediately. If your garage only has an auto-reverse from contact, test it by placing a roll of paper towels on the ground under the door and make sure the door reverses upon making contact with the paper towels. If either feature fails, contact a garage door repair company immediately.
- Teach Your Children Well (About Garage Doors) – It’s very important that your children understand that your garage door or garage door opener is not a toy. Let’s face it, kids love pushing buttons especially if it controls an object. Consider replacing your old garage door opener with a key chain version that you can keep away from children. Or if you want to get really hi-tech, purchase a new opener with a smartphone app that controls your door.
Also, teach your kids to stay far away from the garage door when it is opening or closing. A lot of injuries occur when kids are trying to ‘ride’ the garage door as it opens. Many times children will get their fingers caught between the door panels as the door is opening or closing. It’s a good idea to mount the garage door opener control out of reach of small children. Make sure the manual release rope is set at a height that kids can’t reach also.
- Install My Q® Enabled Products – Keyless entry and MyQ enabled garage door accessories can not only make your home more impenetrable structure but come with additional safety features that can offer peace of mind. With MyQ Technology you can monitor everyone that comes in and out of your garage and also control the garage door from your smartphone or mobile device. Both Liftmaster and Chamberlain offer remote access technologies that are easy to install with the help of a professional garage door technician.
- Replace Old Garage Door Springs – Garage door springs do a lot of the heavy lifting. The safety of your garage door depends heavily on the quality and condition of your garage door springs. If springs become worn out it can put you and your family in significant danger. It is recommended that if you have two garage door springs, even if one seems like it is in decent condition, that you replace both at the same time to guarantee continuity.
- Check Your Garage Door Cables – Garage door cables are another important component to the overall functionality of your garage door and garage door opener. Once cables become frayed, they run the risk of snapping and breaking. These cables need to be replaced by a trained garage door installation technician, as the high spring tension can be dangerous for do-it-yourselfers to fix on their own. To check to see if you need to replace your garage door cables, you CAN do a visual inspection. If you see any signs of frayed or worn cables, it is time to call your local garage door repair company to get them replaced.
- Check for Rusted or Sharp Edges – This seems like a logical anomaly to be on the lookout for, but surprisingly is overlooked by most homeowners. Garage doors are not only heavy, but can take on significant damage during the winter months. Some edges may rust for weather or be bent from overuse. While injuries stemming from rusted or sharp edges are minor, it still could be dangerous for children who get nicked when coming in and out of the garage.
- Let The Pro’s Handle Repairs – Garage door springs and cables are under a high amount of tension and can become a source of injury if not handled properly. While you may save little money making your own garage door repairs, it’s not really worth the risk to your personal health. Garage door technicians are equipped with special tools that keep them safe when doing garage door repairs and have been trained to deal with high-tension springs.
Call The Professionals at Precision Garage Door Las Vegas
Precision Garage Door Las Vegas is taking steps to follow CDC guidelines to the exact letter in regards to COVID-19. We are enacting added safety precautions to ensure our customers and their home environments are left undisturbed. This includes outfitting our garage door technicians in safety masks, gloves, and sterilization products. If you need garage door replacement or installation, you can rest easy knowing that Precision Door Las Vegas can get the job done efficiently, professionally, and safely.
For assistance fixing or installing new garage door springs and openers or if you’re looking to replace your old garage door, contact us directly at 702.637.2700. Our garage door installation experts can answer your questions or schedule a free virtual estimate.
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