Every year, thousands of homeowners get injured in their garage or by the garage door itself. As the largest opening and most-often used entry point of the home, garage doors play a crucial role in our daily lives, and certain precautions should be taken to avoid injury.
Since the garage door plays such a key role, here are some important safety items to remember when it comes to keeping you and your family safe around your garage.
GARAGE DOOR SAFETY TIPS
1. Visually Inspect the Garage Door for Wear and Tear
Each month you should visually inspect your garage door, springs, cables, rollers, and pulleys to check for misalignment or signs of wear. If you suspect there is a problem, do not attempt to remove, adjust or repair the parts or anything attached to them.
2.Test Reverse Action
While you are inspecting your garage door, you should also test the auto-reverse feature. The easiest way to check the auto-reverse is to place a roll of paper towels in the path of the door. When the door makes contact with the paper towel, it should immediately reverse directions. If the door does not reverse on its own, then call a professional installer for a safety tune-up.
3. Stay Clear
One of the most common types of injury is pinching and crushing caused by the garage door’s section joints. Remember when the garage door is moving up or down, do not stand or walk under it. Over 130 people injure themselves or damage their garage doors each year by trying to race it as it closes. Modern garage doors have sensors as a safety feature to prevent impacts, but it’s still a risky move.
4. Not For Play
Garage door and garage door openers are not toys and should not be played with. Nearly 100 children are injured each year playing with garage doors. To prevent this, educate children about the proper use of garage doors and mount push-button wall controls beyond the reach of little hands.
5. Call In The Professionals
Visually inspecting the garage door and its parts is essential, but homeowners should schedule yearly maintenance checks to ensure their doors are in good working order. Springs and cables are under immense pressure which could result in severe injury or death. If springs or cables are in need of repair, call On Track Door Systems Canada Inc. to schedule an appointment with a technician.
An annual visit from a trained garage door technician can keep your door operating safely and smoothly. For more garage door safety and maintenance advice, visit ontrackdoorsystemsgreybruce.ca.