Did you know that your garage door is the heaviest moving object in your home? With that in mind, it may seem obvious that an untrained person shouldn’t mess around with it, yet emergency rooms see more than 15,000 cases of garage door-related injuries each year!
While regular maintenance helps prevent disasters, knowledge of general garage door safety is an essential part of keeping you and your family safe and your door operating properly. Keep reading for a few helpful garage door safety tips.
Be Cautious
First and foremost, you should always exercise caution around your garage door and its parts. Keep in mind that neither your garage door nor garage door opener are toys! Never let your children play with the wall buttons, remote, or keypad. Ideally, kids and pets should be kept a safe distance away from the door at all times.
Avoid While in Motion
Never walk under a garage door while it’s in motion. Your safest option is to get a keypad on the outside so the door can be closed from there, but if you must close it from the inside, always use an alternate exit point as opposed to running under the door as it shuts. Trust us when we say “beat the door” is a dangerous game that should never be played.
Watch Your Fingers
If you have a door without a motor that needs to be manually opened or closed, be extra careful not to crush your fingers. Be sure to use the handle provided on the door. This is especially important when locking and unlocking the door manually, as this motion can alter your grip.
Check the Area First
Make sure your garage door is visible when you push the open/close button. While some remotes will work from anywhere in your house, you should always make sure the area around your door is clear of any people, pets, cars or other objects before pushing the button.
Look & Listen
It’s very important to visually inspect your garage door on a regular basis. Spend a couple minutes looking it over, and if you notice anything that seems off or is obviously broken, call a professional to determine the next steps.
You should also listen for strange noises, as they can be a great indicator of a problem waiting to happen. For example, squeaking noises can mean that the hinges or rollers need to be lubricated, while clicking sounds often indicate a misaligned track. There are a number of different noises that you may hear, so it’s often best to contact a professional to help you isolate the sound and provide a solution.
Leave Repairs & Replacements to the Pros
When it comes to garage door repairs and replacements, it’s typically best to call in a professional to handle the work, especially when dealing with cables and springs. Your door’s cables and springs carry a lot of tension and can cause serious injuries to someone who doesn’t know what they’re doing.
Check out our website for more information on garage doors and the importance of garage door safety.