Your overhead garage door is an essential part of your home, offering ease of access and peace of mind. However, improper use or lack of maintenance can lead to safety hazards. To protect your family and property, follow these essential safety tips for operating your garage door.
Keep Your Door in Check
Routine maintenance is the foundation to ensuring safe operation. Inspect the torsion springs, wires, wheels, and rails for wear and tear. Look out for unusual noises or jerky movements, which could indicate a problem. Addressing these issues early can stop hazards and expensive fixes.
2. Keeping Remote Controls Secure
Treat your garage door remote control like a security tool. Keep it out of reach of little ones and store it in a safe place when not in use. For added security, consider a smart garage door opener that requires a smartphone app or PIN to operate.
3. Educating Family Members
Ensure everyone in your household understands how to use the garage door safely. Teach children not to treat it as a toy or its mechanisms and explain the dangers of tampering with moving parts. Clear communication is key to preventing accidents.
Check Your Door’s Safety Systems
Modern garage doors are equipped with safety features like auto-reverse and motion sensors. Test these features regularly to ensure they are functioning as intended. Place an object like a block of wood under the door while it’s closing—if it doesn’t reverse upon contact, it’s time for a professional inspection.
Leave Repairs to the Pros
While some maintenance tasks can be DIY-friendly, repairs involving torsion mechanisms, cables, or the opener mechanism should always be left to trained technicians. These components are under high tension and can cause serious injury if mishandled.
