Managing garage door safety certainly becomes a bit more complicated as the summer months arrive. Summertime is when the kids come home from school. Often, your garage sees a lot more use during the warmer months. During this time, you try to sneak in and out while dodging a rain storm. Or children need access to their bikes and sporting gear. Before the summer gets into full gear, review your family’s garage door safety plan. Now is the time ensure that this summertime activity hub doesn’t spell trouble for the younger members of the family. Putting some simple ground rules into place can keep your summer free of garage door injuries.
Keep away
Small children and even adults should never play on or near the garage door or track. Most garage door injuries happen in the immediate area around and under the garage door. So it’s important to keep family members away from this potential danger.
Protecting fingers and limbs
Thankfully, garage door injuries involving falls and entrapment are much less common than they once were. However, this doesn’t make the garage door an inherently safe place, either. Most garage door injuries occur along the track as the door opens and closes. Fingers and limbs can become trapped between the track and door rollers, which can cause serious injury. The best way to avoid garage door track injuries is to stay away from the track. Even if you feel that something is blocking the track, don’t try to pry it out with the garage door open. Instruct children never to place their fingers on or play with toys in the track.
Keeping children safe
It is important to keep little ones safe from garage door accidents. While modern technology and motion sensors have largely eliminated the risk of garage door falls, accidents do still happen. If possible, do not give your children access to open and close the garage door. Entering and exiting should only be done with adult supervision. Instruct them not to slide under the door. Though they may see examples of this on television and in movies, it’s not safe. Finally, never disable any of the safety mechanisms if you have children. Kids are sure to be in and out of the garage regularly.
Understanding your garage door opener
The opening mechanism for your garage door is a relatively simple but little-understood piece of household technology. If you can, locate your garage door opener manual and learn a little bit about your home’s system. Understand the built-in safety features and how to spot a system failure before someone gets hurt. Test your safety sensor on your own by placing a roll of paper towels below the door and in front of the sensor. If the door doesn’t reverse when you try to close it, then call a specialist immediately to address the problem.
Knowing your remote
Most garage door users operate their opener by using the remote. Make sure you know how to tell when the remote is running out of battery and that it’s always located in a safe area – well out of the reach of children.
Manual options
Sometimes unforeseen circumstances, like power outages, render your electronic garage door opener useless. Don’t be caught off guard by a situation like this. Study your garage door system to learn manual override options for keeping your family safe in the event of a power failure.
Making sure the garage door is in good shape
Even with the best rules in place, a malfunctioning garage door can present safety hazards you couldn’t have predicted. Always stay on top of garage door maintenance and take note of any problems that occur. If you accidentally run into the door or it gets broken in some way, make sure to address the issue right away.
Keeping track of necessary repairs
Never attempt to fix your garage door on your own. The springs and other mechanisms are very tight. This situation could cause serious injury if messed with in the wrong way. In fact, there are hundreds of injuries that occur each year as a result of homeowners trying to DIY garage door repairs. Even if you’re a DIY-junkie, your garage door is definitely not a place to experiment with home repairs. Call a professional for assistance with garage door repairs and opener problems. Professionals are better able to identify problems. They can set up the repair space in a safe way to prevent garage door injuries.
Keep your family safe this summer by getting your garage door inspected and repaired by a professional. You’ll have peace of mind that your children and their friends won’t run the risk of garage door injury. After all, the garage is where they will often come into and out of your home.
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