“Every year, there are at least 30,000 Garage door accidents in the United States”.
Even after reading this post from our Aurora garage door repair expert, if you do not undertake any garage door safety measures, then you will regret it. Many people focus more on the curb appeal of the garage door rather than its safety features. While aesthetic appeal does have value, safety attains more prominence when it comes to garage door replacement or repair. That is why it is advisable to follow these garage door safety tips for precaution.
Must-follow Safety tips for your garage door repair
Before you call a garage door professional to repair your door, it is better to follow these precautions for everyone’s safety.
No movement under the door
When any kind of garage door repair or service is underway, no one should move under or near the door. Business owners must advise their staff from doing so and pet owners have to keep their pets on a leash. Homeowners must keep children out of sight of the garage door.
Keep garage door opener and remote out of reach of the children
Children love to play hide and seek in a garage. Ask them to move off the garage premises before you begin the repairs. Ensure that the garage door remote and opener are not accessible to them. If they play with the opener or remote, the door might come crashing down without warning.
Learn how to use emergency release cord
If your automatic opener does not work, your door might get stuck midway. In such a case, you must know how to manually operate the garage door by using the emergency release cord.
Unplug the power supply
Always disconnect the power supply and unplug the garage door opener before you begin any work on your garage door.
Inspect all garage door parts
Every month, conduct a regular maintenance check for your garage door. Check all the garage door springs, roller, hinges, tracks, cables, and pulleys. Any broken garage door parts need immediate replacement to ensure your safety.
Check if the auto-reverse feature works
The auto-reverse feature has safety sensors that can detect any obstruction in their path and stop the movement of the door.
Place an object like a roll of tissue or piece of wood in the path of the sensors. If the door keeps moving still and does not halt, this means your auto-reverse mechanism has failed. Contact a garage service technician at once.
Check the alignment of the garage door sensors
The photo eye sensors of your automatic garage door must be aligned properly for safety. Wrong alignment or position of the sensors can cause the door to close or open even when something is in the path. Prevent such mishaps by checking the sensor alignment at least once a month.
Check for broken springs and worn out rollers
Garage door torsion springs are the parts that carry the weight of the door. If you find any broken spring, arrange for garage door spring repair at once.
Garage door rollers may be of steel, plastic, or nylon. They get worn out due to repeated use and have to be replaced regularly.
Always call a professional garage door company for such repair service as these parts must be repaired or replaced with professional care and skill.
Inspect the garage door cables
Look for broken strands of cables and misaligned tracks. If the lift cables are damaged, it is not safe to even operate the garage door. The same is the case for damaged garage door tracks. Call a professional garage expert at once to address these main garage door issues.
Lubricate the garage parts
Use white lithium grease or a garage door lubricant like WD-40 and lubricate the garage parts once a month.
Arm yourself with safety glasses, rubber gloves, etc when you take up such challenging projects. Follow the above tips to keep your family safe. Choose an American Family insurance that also covers your home and garage. Lastly, call a nearby garage door repair specialist in Aurora to perform proper maintenance of your garage door regularly for your safety.
