Serving Areas in the Greater Albuquerque, and Surrounding Areas in New Mexico
Garage Door Safety
June is Garage Door Safety Month. The garage is the main entry point of the home, opening and closing an average of four times a day. With that amount of foot traffic, it’s essential to keep track of your garage door activity and ensure you are maintaining a safe, functioning garage door as well as the opener.
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We’ve put together the top garage door safety tips to keep your family safe and to prevent garage door related accidents.
Don’t Race Against your Garage Door:
Many of us have a tendency to race the garage door as it closes or opens. Although modern garage doors have sensors that stop the door from closing when there’s something in its path, some of the older garage doors do not. Prevent injuries and teach your children to stay away from moving doors.
Photo Eye Sensor Check:
Photo eye sensors act as a safety measure on your garage door by preventing the garage door from closing if there’s anything in the way. The sensors are located on either side of your garage door, and it’s essential to test them regularly and check that they’re still functioning properly.
To check your photo eye sensors, place an object in the path of the garage door before closing it. If the garage door does not stop and automatically reverse to the opening position, this means that the photo eye sensors are either malfunctioning and require repair/servicing or they are broken and need to be replaced.
Make your Garage Kid Friendly:
Educate your little ones to stay away from garage doors when the doors are in operation. Keep the garage door opener keypads and remotes out of kids’ reach, and do not allow children to play with the controls. Also ensure that children do not place their fingers between door hinges as this can be extremely dangerous.
Check Springs for Wear and Tear:
One of the common reasons why garage doors malfunction is because of a broken spring. The springs leverage the opening and closing of the doors by balancing the door’s weight. The average lifespan of a garage door is about six to ten years; however, ensuring that your springs are in good condition and performing routine checks will extend the life of your garage door. Worn out or broken springs can be hazardous, resulting in garage doors slamming shut or failing to open.
We always recommend that you call a professional to repair a broken spring. Attempting to fix a broken spring on your own can be dangerous and can cause injuries and further damage to the door.
Preventive Maintenance:
Preventative Maintenance is an essential element for your garage door functioning at its best condition. In fact, regular maintenance and check-ups can extend the life of your garage door. An annual visit from a trained technician will help ensure your door remains trouble-free year-round.
Other Garage Door & Opener Tips
Other Garage Door Safety Tips:
- Never place fingers between door sections. Also, explain the dangers to children and consider pinch-resistant door panels.
- Consult the garage door and opener owner’s manuals to learn how to use the garage door’s emergency release feature.
- Visually inspect the garage door each month. Look at springs, cables, rollers and pulleys for signs of wear. Do not attempt to remove, adjust or repair these parts or anything attached to them. These parts are under high tension and also be fixed by a trained door repairman.
- Do not leave the garage door partially open. When activated again, it may travel downward and come in contact with an object in its path. This also compromises a home’s security.
Garage Door Opener Safety Tips:
- Make sure the garage door opener control button is out of the reach of small children.
- Do not let children play with a garage door remote controls.
- Test the garage door opener’s reversing mechanism monthly by placing a 2×4 board in the door’s path. If the door does not reverse after contacting the object, call a qualified garage door professional for repair. If the opener older than 20 years, replace the garage door opener with a new one that has safety beams and auto-reverse as a standard feature.
- When leaving on vacation, unplug the garage door opener unit or use your wall console vacation lock security switch (an optional accessory on most openers) to render remotes unusable.
- If the opener does not have the rolling-code technology, be sure to change the manufacturer’s standard access codes on the opener and remote control, or consider investing in a newer model with rolling-code technology, which changes access codes each time the opener is used.
- Never leave the remote control in the car when given to a parking attendant. A stolen remote leaves you more susceptible to home invasion. Always lock your car when left unattended. It’s a small inconvenience for safety and security.
Every day remember that your garage door is the largest moving appliance in your home, keep tips in mind to ensure your garage door does not become a safety hazard. Not sure if your garage door in good shape? View our Checklist to find out if your door needs to be repaired or replaced.
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