Garage Door Safety
A garage door is the largest moving object in the home. It is often operated by electric garage door openers. Proper installation, operation, maintenance and monthly testing of the garage door and electric garage door opener are necessary to provide safe, trouble-free operation. An improperly adjusted garage door or garage door opener can exert deadly force when the door closes. This could lead to serious injury or death from being hit by a closing garage door or from being trapped under the door.
Below are some safety tips to keep in mind. Always consult your owner’s manual for specific safety information about your model.
1. Replace old springs
Your garage door’s springs an extremely important part of your door. However, when springs wear out, injury can result. Have your springs inspected by a professional technician and replaced if needed, especially if you have an older garage door. If your door has two springs, it’s best to replace both at the same time, even if one is not broken. This will prevent any damage caused by the breaking of the second spring and keep your door working efficiently.
2. Squeaky springs
Squeaky springs is caused by normal use and does not necessarily indicate a problem. We lubricate our garage doors upon installation and with every service call. Lubricating your doors every three months by using a spray-on lubricant, such as a light machine oil, can help extend the life of your garage doors. Never use grease or dry lubricant. If the noise persists, give us a call.
3. Check cables
Visually inspect the cables that attach the spring system to the bottom brackets on both sides of the door. If these cables are frayed or worn, they are in danger of breaking, which can cause injury. Remember, the high spring tension is extremely dangerous. These cables should be replaced only by a trained technician.
4. Installing a garage door or opener
Installing a garage door can be very dangerous and is not recommended for a novice. A trained technician should always install garage doors. Installing a garage door opener is generally easier and safer than installing a garage door. But improper installation can create a hazardous situation. We are happy to install your opener.
5. Safety cables
For a garage door that has extension springs, a safety cable that runs through the spring and secures to the wall or ceiling at each end is needed. When your garage door is down, extension springs are under high tension. If the spring breaks, it may cause injury. A safety cable can keep that broken spring contained. If you have extension springs but do not have a safety cable, call us for a safety inspection.
6. Struggling door
A door that does not go up and down smoothly could indicate an unsafe condition. Even older door systems should operate smoothly. If the awkward operation continues when the door is manually operated, you may have a spring system that is out of balance. This can cause premature wear and tear on other important door components. Give us a call to take a look.
7. Manually operating
Many homeowners injure their fingers by placing them between the door sections to pull down on the door. If your door lacks pinch-resistant joints, you should have lift handles or suitable gripping points on the inside and outside of the door. Even if your door has an opener, the door must occasionally be operated manually. Never place your fingers between the door sections. If you manually open or close the door, use the handles or the safe gripping points.
8. Tamper resistant brackets
Since the bottom brackets on a garage door are connected to the door’s springs, these brackets are under extreme tension. They should be adjusted or loosened only by a trained technician. Many manufacturers now include tamper resistant hardware that prevents loosening of the brackets by a novice.
9. Using an old track
When buying a replacement garage door, it can be tempting to save a few dollars by putting the new door on the old track. However, your old track may not fit with your new door, depending on the thickness of your sections, the weight of the door, the headroom required, the location of the garage door opener, and other considerations. The track and sections work together as a system. For maximum performance and long life, you should replace the track when replacing the garage door.
10. Regular service
Your garage door is typically used every day. Over time, parts can wear out and break, creating potential safety problems. Although you should provide monthly safety checks and maintenance to your garage door system, an annual visit from a trained technician can keep your door operating safely and smoothly for a long time.
11. Installing photo eye sensors
The photo eye sensor should not be installed higher than six inches above the garage floor. If the eyes are installed higher, a person or pet could get under the beam and not be detected by the photo eyes.
12. Installing a wall button
The wall push button for your garage door opener should be mounted at least five feet above the floor, out of children’s reach. Running under a closing door can be a deadly game. Teach your children never to play with opening and closing the door.
13. Always watch
When closing your automatic garage door with a push button or a remote control transmitter, always watch the door until it completely closes to make sure no person or animal gets caught under a closing door.
14. Know where your remote controls are
Keep the remote controls for your openers where children cannot play with them. Warn children of the dangers of playing with the garage door. For security reasons, keep your remote controls locked up. If you park a car outside your garage, lock your car so that potential burglars cannot access your remote control and gain easy access to your garage.
As always, give us a call if you have any questions about these safety tips, your garage door, or services. Keep the owner’s manuals for your door and opener hanging near the door for easy reference. Every model of door and opener has specific safety instructions unique to that model. You can find a list of Amarr owner’s manuals here.