Your overhead garage door is an essential part of your home, offering convenience and security. However, improper use or lack of maintenance can lead to dangerous situations. To ensure safe use, follow these practical safety tips for operating your garage door.
Keep Your Door in Check
Routine maintenance is the foundation to ensuring safe operation. Inspect the springs, wires, rollers, and tracks for wear and tear. Look out for unusual noises or jerky movements, which could indicate a problem. Addressing these issues early can prevent accidents and expensive fixes.
Safe Storage for Remotes
Treat your garage door remote control like a security tool. Keep it out of reach of children and store it securely when not in use. For added security, consider a modern opener system that requires a digital key or PIN to operate.
3. Educating Family Members
Ensure everyone in your household understands how to use the garage door safely. Teach young ones not to treat it as a toy or its mechanisms and explain the dangers of tampering with the system. Clear communication is key to preventing accidents.
Keep Features in Check
Modern garage doors are equipped with safety features like auto-reverse and obstacle detection. Test these features on a schedule 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 service check.
5. Avoiding DIY Repairs
While some maintenance tasks can be DIY-friendly, repairs involving torsion mechanisms, wires, or the opener mechanism should always be left to trained technicians. These components are under extreme stress and can cause serious injury if mishandled.
