The Basics of Garage Door Safety

Your residential garage door system may seem like an innocuous part of your home, but it presents a few dangers that it pays to be aware of.  Make sure you and your family are well-versed in these basic tips for some areas of concern.  They might seem trivial, but they’re important for everyone to know.

Your Eyes Are Your Best Friends

A visual inspection of the system is most beneficial.  Every so often, do a walk-through of the moving parts and inventory the entire system. Check the springs, rollers, cables, and additional hardware for stress damage or other signs of wear and tear.

Your eyes are also an important tool when you operate the system.  You should never open or close your garage door when you can’t see it, and you should be in visual range of the door for the entirety of its operation.

Keep Out of Reach of Children

Never let your young children operate your remote controls or other related mechanisms.  Your system is not a toy, and can be dangerous when in motion.  If you have a wall-mounted remote, be sure that it’s out of the reach of children.  Remember to keep your hands clear when operating the door.  Keep away from all moving parts, not just the door itself, such as the overhead door springs.

Lastly, be sure to test the force setting every so often.  Standing well outside the path of the door, start closing it and attempt to stop it with your arms.  If the door is not easily stopped and doesn’t start to reverse automatically, the setting is too high.  Contact our trained service professionals and have it adjusted, which can be easily done.