There have been stories about small children or animals that have been injured by garage doors. Using safety guidelines can help keep everyone safe, not only from the heavy garage door itself but from the dangers that are in within the garage door system. The garage door is attached to a motor, that when activated, is attached to a set of springs that will help open the door. The garage door is a heavy object that if there is a malfunction can be dangerous. The springs are large and if they break they can also be a scary event.
AAA Action Doors has some tips to help you stay safe when using your garage door.
Visual Garage Door Inspection: This is one of the best ways that you can inspect any mechanical system. You can look over the garage door and the motor, springs and cables to be sure that everything looks up to par. If the springs looks like they are starting to get loose or stretched out, they made need repair or replacement. You also need to look at the garage door tracks that the door is moving along to see if there are any areas that need to be looked at closer. If you look and notice parts that seem to be worn out, do not attempt to remove or replace any of the pieces without professional assistance.
Garage Door Reversing Mechanism: Every garage door is set up with an automatic reverse mode. The automatic reverse is there to protect the garage and anything that might lay in its path. The door should stop closing and start to reopen if it touches anything on the way down. It will stop and start to open back up. You can check this function to be sure that it is working by placing an object that is sturdy enough to withstand the garage door if it malfunctions; like a piece of wood. If the door does not start to reverse when it hits the object than you need to have it repaired.
Teach Kids Not to Touch Garage Door Panel Sections: Most roll up garage doors made up of panel sections that are put together with hinges and will pivot when the door moves. That means that there is usually space between each section. Make sure that you talk to kids and other family members about not putting their hands or fingers in between the sections even when it is not in motion. That way if it starts to open you are not going to get your hand stuck or pinched.
Garage Door Opener Manual Release: You should know how to open your garage if you need to do it manually. If you know that the garage has gone out or the motor stops working you can still open or close your garage if needed.
