Garage Door Safety Tips #1-4: Luck Favors the Prepared
It's safe to say that no one plans on garage door emergencies, but the smart ones make sure they are prepared in case they do. There's a reason we're placing these at the top of the list; if you only have time to read a few tips, these are the ones to adhere to.
- Keep the owner's manual in a handy place. Can't find your owner's manual?
- Become familiar with your door's emergency release feature. (If it doesn't have one, it's time to get a new garage door).
- Perform monthly inspections on the door's springs, rollers, cables, and pulleys. Make note of areas showing undue wear.
- Regularly test the reversing mechanism by placing a roll of paper towels on the ground in the closing path of the door. If the door fails to stop and re-open, it's time to schedule a repair.
Garage Door Safety Tips #5-8: Protecting Kids From Garage Door Injuries
Even when you have planned for everything, kids have an uncanny knack for throwing wrenches into the works (sometimes literally). These large moving door panels, and all their buttons, mechanics, and pieces, need to be respected. The following tips will keep everyone safe and out of time out.
- Telling a child (and some adults) not to push a button is a lesson in futility. Keep garage door openers out of sight and mind of small children.
- Do not let children play with garage openers.
- Teach children to stay away from a garage door when it is operating. This includes keeping fingers out of the spaces between the panels.
Garage Door Safety Tips #9-11: Home Safety Is Important, Too.
Garage doors are the biggest entrances to our homes, and they are sometimes far too easy to get through. Protect yourself and your loved ones by planning ahead, being aware, and always lock your doors.- Planning a vacation? Make sure to unplug the door opener before you go. If you have it, you could also activate your vacation lock console security switch; it makes it so that remotes cannot be used.
- Never leave your door opener in your car or with a parking attendant. Consider a keychain remote.
- Always lock the door that goes into your home from your garage.
Garage doors are only as safe as the people who operate, inspect, and maintain them, so use these tips and plan ahead. You can also consider additional garage door safety features to increase your peace of mind. Program a recurring task on your smartphone to remind yourself to inspect your garage door (and test the batteries in your smoke detector out there while you're at it).
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!
Plus, we have our new Garage Door Opener 101 guide out giving you access to instructional videos on how to program your remote, tips, and answers straight from our pros!
