2024-01-10 9 min read Tom Rodriguez
Garage doors are the largest moving objects in most homes, weighing between 150 and 400 pounds. When operating properly, they're safe and convenient. However, when safety features are ignored or when doors aren't maintained, they can pose serious risks to your family. Here's what every household should know about garage door safety.
Understanding the Risks
According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, garage doors are responsible for thousands of injuries each year. Most incidents involve:
Fingers or hands getting caught between door panels. Being struck by a closing door. Injuries from broken springs or cables. Entrapment under a door that fails to reverse.
The good news is that most of these incidents are preventable with proper awareness, maintenance, and modern safety features.
Teaching Children About Garage Door Safety
Children are naturally curious, and the garage door can seem like an exciting toy. Establish and enforce these rules:
Never play near a moving garage door. The door should be fully open or fully closed before anyone passes through. Playing games like racing the door or standing underneath while it closes is extremely dangerous.
Remote controls and wall buttons are not toys. Keep remotes out of children's reach when not in use. Explain that operating the door is an adult's responsibility or only for older children who have been properly trained.
Never touch the springs, cables, or bottom brackets. These components are under extreme tension and can cause serious injury if they break or are tampered with.
Always watch the door until it fully closes. Don't walk away after pressing the button. Ensure no person, pet, or object is in the door's path.
Test Your Safety Features Monthly
Modern garage doors are required to have two safety features: photo-eye sensors and auto-reverse functionality. Test both monthly.
Photo-eye sensor test: Close the door using the wall button or remote. While the door is closing, pass an object (like a broomstick) through the sensor beam about six inches above the ground. The door should immediately stop and reverse. If it doesn't, the sensors may be misaligned or malfunctioning.
Auto-reverse test: Place a 2x4 board flat on the ground in the door's path. Close the door. When the door contacts the board, it should reverse within two seconds. If the door continues pressing down or takes longer to reverse, the force settings need adjustment.
If either test fails, stop using the automatic opener and contact a professional immediately.
Maintain Your Door Regularly
Prevention is key to safety. Perform these checks monthly:
Visual inspection: Look for frayed cables, worn rollers, rust spots, and loose hardware. Check that springs appear intact (not stretched or damaged). Examine the door panels for cracks or damage that could affect structural integrity.
Listen during operation: Unusual sounds.grinding, scraping, or squeaking.often indicate problems. A well-maintained door operates relatively quietly.
Balance test: Disconnect the opener by pulling the release handle (usually a red cord). Manually lift the door halfway and release. A properly balanced door should stay in place. If it falls or rises, the springs may need adjustment.a job for professionals only.
Lubrication: Apply a garage door lubricant (not WD-40) to springs, hinges, rollers, and tracks every few months to keep everything moving smoothly.
Secure Your Garage
A garage door is an entry point to your home and should be treated as such.
Never leave the door partially open. This invites pests, provides access to would-be intruders, and can cause strain on the door system.
Lock the door when away for extended periods. Most doors have a manual lock. Use it when on vacation or when the opener is disconnected.
Secure the emergency release. Some intruders can access the emergency release through the top of the door using a wire hanger. A zip tie on the release mechanism can prevent this without impeding emergency use from inside.
Keep the remote secure. Don't leave it visible in your car. Consider a keychain remote or use a smartphone app instead.
What to Do in an Emergency
If someone becomes trapped under a garage door:
Do not attempt to move the door immediately if there's a risk of further injury. Call 911 if injuries appear serious. If you must move the door to free someone, use the manual release to disengage the opener, then carefully lift the door.it will be heavy.
If a spring breaks while the door is moving, stay clear. The door may slam down suddenly. Do not attempt to operate the door or repair springs yourself.
Professional Maintenance Matters
Annual professional inspections can identify issues before they become safety hazards. A trained technician will:
Test and adjust safety features. Inspect springs, cables, and hardware for wear. Lubricate moving parts properly. Check opener operation and force settings. Ensure the door is balanced correctly.
At Garage Door Eugene, safety is our priority. Our certified technicians are trained to identify and correct potential hazards. Contact us to schedule your annual safety inspection and ensure your family's protection.