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 safety hazards. To ensure safe use, follow these essential safety tips for operating your garage door.
Keep Your Door in Check
Routine maintenance is the first step to ensuring safe operation. Inspect the springs, cables, rollers, and tracks for signs of damage. Look out for unusual noises or jerky movements, which could indicate a problem. Addressing these issues early can stop hazards and expensive fixes.
Securing Your Garage Door Remote
Treat your garage door remote control like a security tool. Keep it out of reach of little ones 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.
Teach Your Family About Garage Door Safety
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 moving parts. Proper training is key to ensuring safety.
4. Testing Safety Features
Modern garage doors are equipped with safety features like automatic reversal systems and motion sensors. Test these features regularly 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.
Leave Repairs to the Pros
While some maintenance tasks can be DIY-friendly, repairs involving torsion mechanisms, cables, or the opener mechanism should always be left to professionals. These components are under extreme stress and can cause serious injury if mishandled.
