7 Safety Measures to Prevent Garage Door Accidents
According to reports published by the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS), every year over 7,500 people are injured during garage door operation whereas over 2,000 are killed in such accidents.
Most garage doors today are armed with innovative security features. However, they are not very well-maintained that results in serious and fatal accidents. These doors are the heaviest and biggest moving piece in your house, and it is crucial to take basic precautionary measures to eliminate the likelihood of dangerous accidents.
In this article, we will talk about some simple yet important safety measures that you must adhere to protect yourself and your family from garage-door accidents.
Have your garage door installed from a professional:
A lot of people choose to install a garage door themselves instead of hiring a professional for the job. It is not a feasible option because these doors are extremely heavy and bulky. Besides, they are held under great pressure by cables and springs. If anything goes wrong during the installation process, the chances are that the entire door may come crashing down on you.
Also, without suitable expertise, you may end up fitting the door incorrectly. It may cause it to malfunction and eventually break down. Thus, it is important to hire a professional and skilled technician for the job who can make sure the job is carried out accurately.
Check the door’s safety sensors:
The safety sensors of the garage door are attached to the rails on which the door slides. The purpose of these sensors is to reverse the closing of the door. It is an important function that helps to prevent garage door accidents.
To test the working of the sensors, you can place an object, such as a broom under the closing door. It will block the beam, causing the sensor to reverse the direction of the door. In case you see that the sensor is not working, call a technician immediately.
Don’t attempt any major repairs yourself:
Unless you possess some professional expertise, it is best to avoid attempting garage door repairs on your own. Cleaning and lubricating the door is a simple task that can be done at home. But in other cases, such as when your door loses its balance or torsion spring breaks, you must seek the help of an expert. Handling such repairs yourself can put yours as well as your family’s life in danger.
Make your kids understand basic garage safety tips:
A lot of times, garage door accidents happen because of children who are not aware of the health hazards of negligence. So, all parents need to educate their children about garage door safety at a young age. Explain to them about how the garage door works and the basic safety measures they must take while being around them.
Make sure to emphasize that they should not play around with the garage door and its remote control. Mounting the door opening button at a height that is out of the reach of the children is also a good idea.
Inspect your door every month:
The best way to evade accidents is by detecting any problems earlier on. For this, it is important to inspect the door now and then carefully. At least once every month, make sure to check the door’s springs, cables, rollers, etc. Also, check the mounting hardware for any kind of damage or wear and tear.
If something does not look fine, call for a technician who can fix the problem before it goes on to cause an accident. You can also book a monthly maintenance check with your garage repair company to keep the door in the best possible shape.
Test the garage door’s mechanisms regularly:
It is crucial to make sure that all the door mechanisms are in proper order. You must check the door’s balance after every fixed interval. To do that, lift the garage door by hand. If you feel any kind of resistance or notice that the garage door doesn’t stay open two to three feet above the floor, it is likely out of balance and needs maintenance.
Similarly, you can test the force by pushing the door up when it is closing or vice versa. If the door does not stop, there is likely a problem with the mechanism that requires repair.
Schedule a professional maintenance every year:
Once a year, it is advisable to schedule an appointment with a skilled technician who can inspect every part of the door. A certified specialist will be able to pinpoint all potential safety threats, such as problems with the safety sensor, broken torsion springs, door alignment errors, etc.
Mostly, such problems go unnoticed until a big disaster occurs. So, opting for annual garage door maintenance can prevent accidents as well as improve the life of your door.
Wrapping Up
Garage doors are big, bulky pieces of equipment that can be very dangerous, if not handled and maintained carefully. So make sure to adhere to the safety mentioned above tips to keep you and your family safe and protected.
Author Bio
Rebecca is a full-time content marketing specialist and a passionate writer who loves to write about creating an aesthetic and ambient living environment for everyone. She focuses on sharing ideas and techniques learned from his experience in a concise manner so that it can be used by everyone to make their surroundings beautiful to live in. Currently, She’s working With Garage Door Service.