Garage Door - Safety Tips For Your Family
Garages provide a wide range of uses. From storage, to home projects, to game rooms, these areas can be used for whatever the homeowner sees fit. However, it is also because of their diversity that these areas can pose safety and security challenges. In this article, we will provide a list of safety tips for garage doors to help keep everything secure and safe.
• Make sure to keep the remote control out of the immediate reach of small children
• Take the time to outline the dangers of the unit to your children and stress the fact that the remote is not a toy.
Never explain the dangers to children by placing your fingers between sections of the door. If you happen to have smaller children,
consider purchasing a unit with panels that are unable to pinch.
• Prior to use, read through the owner’s manual and make yourself aware of just how the emergency release feature works. Through the process of leaning more about the door, you will be better able to maintain the door in the future.
• Take the time to visually inspect the garage door each month. Look over the cables, springs, rollers, and pulleys for any signs of damage or wear. Refrain from attempting to adjust, remove or repair any parts attached to them. When in doubt, a trained door repairman should make any and all adjustments pertaining to moving parts.
• Test the reversing mechanism on the door monthly through the process of placing a roll of paper towels or 2x4 wood panel in the path of the door. If it does not reverse after it has come in contact with the object, call a repair technician to inspect it further. In the case that the opener has not been replaced in over 15 years, consider the possibility of purchasing a new one with an auto-reverse function as a standard feature.
• Avoid leaving the unit partially open. Aside from posing as a security threat, once it is activated again, it may travel downward and come into contact with whatever object is in its path. Better to be safe than sorry.
• Be sure to unplug the unit or use a lock console security switch while on vacation. This will act to render the remote unusable, is a wonderful security feature, and will even save a little on your power bill.
• In cases where rolling-code technology is not available, be sure to alter the manufacturer’s access codes on the remote and opener. You may even consider investing in a newer model with more advanced security and safety features.
• If you must leave your vehicle with a parking attendant, do not leave your remote with it. Consider the use of a key chain remote and always remember to lock the inside doors to your home. This will help avoid the possibility of the remote being stolen and your security becoming compromised.
