When we think of hazards around the house, garage doors aren’t usually the first thing that comes to mind. But garage doors — especially older models — can pose a danger if not handled correctly. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that an astounding 30,000 garage door-related injuries occur every year. For this reason, we decided to compile a list of our top, expert-recommended garage door safety tips to improve your garage door safety!
You’ve probably experienced the following scenario — you back your car out of your garage and then realize you left something in the house. You stop the car and run inside to grab what you need. On your way back out to the car, you press the garage door switch and plan to run out while the door closes.
While many people regularly do this without getting injured, we strongly discourage this habit for the following reasons:
One mistake is all it takes. As you run to make it out before the door closes, there’s always a chance of tripping on your shoelace or slipping on something slick. While you might make it out safely 19 times out of 20, just one trip could end in tragedy.
Your kids might copy you. Doing this on a regular basis will set a negative example for your children, who might try to emulate you. When your children see you quickly and confidently escape the descending garage door, they may think it looks easy, then try it out and injure themselves in the process.
You should try to avoid entering a garage door while it opens, as well. Although this may appear safer, there are several features, including the safety motion sensors, which may get confused when you cross the threshold. While the door will most likely stop when it senses you, there is a chance something more serious could occur with the safety features. It might start descending again, which could cause serious injuries.
When you open or close your door, watch it closely until it finishes. Not only will this allow you to make sure your kids or pets aren’t moving toward the garage door unnoticed, but it will also ensure that your door works properly and isn’t stuck.
2. Perform Proper Maintenance
Garage door malfunctions can sometimes cause injuries, and you can reduce the chance of a malfunction by routinely performing the following maintenance tasks:
Keep your eye on your door. The most effective thing you can do to prevent a garage door malfunction is to examine it when it opens or closes. Pay attention to whether the door moves smoothly or not. You should also listen for any strange noises — is the door silent, or does it make scraping or grinding noises? Do the springs, cables and pulleys look symmetrical?
Tighten all parts. On average, garage doors open and close over a thousand times per year. All of this movement and vibration can cause certain components to become loose over time. Take a close look at bolts and roller brackets and, if they appear loose, tighten them up using a socket wrench.
Test the balance of your garage door. If the garage door is not balanced correctly, your garage door opener must work much harder and will have a shorter lifespan as a result. To test the balance, first pull the release handle of your opener to disconnect it. Then, move the door roughly halfway up with your hands. If your door starts to move by itself, this means the counterweight system is not correctly balanced. If this is the case, do not attempt to balance the door yourself, as it involves adjusting the springs, which can cause serious injury. Have a professional perform this potentially dangerous task.
Examine and replace your rollers. Regardless of whether your rollers are made of steel or nylon, they will need to be inspected two times per year and replaced about once every seven years. If you use your garage door several times a day, they’ll need to be replaced sooner. If you notice that your rollers are cracked, chipped or worn, replace them as soon as you can. This can be done by taking out and reinstalling any roller brackets not directly connected to the cable system.
Replace your weatherstripping. Weatherstripping refers to the rubber seal strip at the bottom of the garage door. If it appears cracked or brittle, replace it as soon as possible to prevent the elements from entering your house. Home improvement and hardware stores sell weatherstripping by the foot. All you have to do is cut it to the size you need and insert it into the grooves. Keep the wide angle of the flange on the inside. You can read our online guide for replacing weather stripping.
Keep all moving parts lubricated. If you spend just 10 minutes every year greasing up the components of your garage door, it will add years to its lifespan. To coat the overhead springs, use a spray lubricant, and to lubricate the chain or screw of the opener, use white lithium grease.
Inspect your cables. Take a close look at your cables to see if there are any broken strands or damage near the roller bracket on the bottom. If so, hire a professional to fix them. As these cables are under extreme tension, handling them without the proper training could result in serious injury or death.
Keep the tracks clear. Make sure there is no debris on the tracks on either side of the door. If you like, you can also grab a level to check if the tracks are plumb. If not, you will want to hire a professional to make the necessary adjustments.
Check the door itself. You’ll want to groom the garage door itself as well. Doors made of wood must be inspected for warp and water damage as well as peeling and chipped paint. Doors made of steel may have rusty areas that you’ll have to sand, prime and paint. You will also want to wash your door regularly, which you can do with a mild, all-purpose cleaner. To save time, you can do this at the same time you wash your car. As your garage door constitutes about a third of your home’s exterior, it’s important to keep it clean and fresh.
Note: If you feel in any way uncomfortable with these repairs, do not attempt them yourself — hire a certified technician that can properly check all garage door safety features and make safety repairs as necessary.
3. Test Safety Features
Modern garage doors come with three standard safety features, which need to be checked regularly:
1. Automatic Reversal System
This feature has been a federal mandate for the past 28 years. If your garage door senses an obstruction in its path, it will stop immediately and then reverse its direction.
However, because openers and springs tend to corrode over time, it’s important to ensure this feature works correctly. To test the mechanical feature, place a brick or piece of wood on the garage floor in the door’s path. When the door descends and touches the object, it should immediately reserve direction. Older garage openers may not have these safety features, so if you own an older door, you should update it.
2. Infrared Motion Detector
This detector is located on the bottom left or right of the garage, roughly six inches above the garage floor. If it senses an object in its path, which could be anything from a garden tool to a bike wheel, it will also stop and reverse direction. To test this mechanism, close your door and pass your leg in the path of the door. You may need to realign them if they are not functioning as expected.
3. Emergency Manual Release
The emergency manual release is a red handle that hangs from a rope and is used when the garage door malfunctions during a power outage or if someone is trapped. When the release is pulled, it will disconnect the opener from the garage door. This is considered the most important garage door safety feature, so pull it regularly to make sure it works. Garage door safety is extremely important, which is why garage doors have safety and emergency features in the first place!
4. Practice Garage Door Opener Safety
Moving a large garage door up and down with the push of a button isn’t just a great convenience — it’s also highly satisfying.
Considering the satisfaction that an adult can derive from this experience, imagine how much fun it must be for a kid. That’s why many parents will hand the remote to kids so they can experience this excitement. Unfortunately, however, giving your kids control of the remote isn’t the best idea — even under supervision. Because kids enjoy pressing the button so much when parents are around, they’re often tempted to play with it when they’re not around, too. This is something you want to avoid.
Here is one possible scenario — your children and their friends are playing hide and seek, and one child realizes they can gain an advantage by using the opener. But while they have only intended to open the garage door to see if someone is hiding in the garage, they may press the button twice by accident, causing the garage door to close again. At their young age, this unintended action may fluster them and cause them to drop the remote. A younger kid, who is under the door and unaware of it closing, could suffer a tragic injury.
Although this is a worst-case scenario, you should always keep your remote where kids cannot reach it so they won’t face the temptation to use it with no one around.
5. Hire a Professional for Installation and Repair
Although experienced DIYers may feel comfortable handling some aspects of garage door installation and repair, we believe that it’s best to leave both of these intricate tasks in the hands of seasoned professionals. Here are the reasons:
Experience: Many homeowners are confident they can install and repair garage doors because the DIY videos often make it look so easy. However, this is usually because the person in the video is an experienced professional. Although it may appear easy, garage door installation and repair are extremely challenging projects for those with limited experience. Professionals who perform installations and repairs have extensive training in the field and possess the skills to do the job properly and quickly.
Right Parts: By hiring a professional to install or repair your garage door, you can also be confident that your door will have all the right components. For instance, a professional will install an opener that is the perfect size for the weight and size of your door, which will significantly prolong the life expectancy of the opener. Professional installers also have all the proper tools to get the job done correctly and efficiently.
Right Order: Garage door installation and repair involves many steps that must occur in a certain order for the door to work properly. These steps include the proper alignment of the photo eyes, correct wiring, properly securing the door opener and correctly installing the springs, pulleys and cables. The door must also be balanced properly. All these complicated steps must be performed in the absolute correct order.
Safety: Garage door installation and repair can be risky endeavors, particularly when working with the springs. However, the garage doors themselves can also be dangerous. Garage doors are heavy, large and awkward to handle if you don’t have any experience. Furthermore, installing garage door openers involves working with electricity, identifying properly grounded power outlets and learning extra safety precautions, which require training. A professional installer will also test the door once it’s installed to make sure all the safety measures function properly.
Warranty: The majority of garage doors come with a warranty. However, most of these warranties become void if the homeowner attempts to install or repair the doors by themselves. If you try to perform an installation or repair on your own, you’ll likely spend many hours on the project without the certainty that you’ll be satisfied with the final product. We believe it’s best to leave these jobs in the hands of professionals who will stand behind their work by offering a warranty and guarantee.
6. Be Aware of Tension Springs
Of all the garage door safety tips we shared in this article, the following is perhaps the most important — if you are not experienced or familiar with garage door springs, do not attempt to remove, repair or make any adjustments to the springs or any part to which the door-spring components are connected. This includes steel brackets, wood blocks or cables. Adjustments or repairs made to high-tension springs must be performed by a professional.
Request an Estimate from Cornwell Door Service
Cornwell Door Service has provided South Central Pennsylvania with high-quality garage door installations for more than four decades. All of our work is done to the highest standards of quality and with respect for your budget. We work with industry-leading manufacturers like Wayne Dalton and Clopay® and specialize in turnkey service, which includes assisting you with your door and opener selection, installing the door and backing our installation with long-term maintenance and support.
