Top 7 Garage Door Safety Tips

Besides being the largest opening in your home, garage doors may be the most used door in your home. In fact, over 70% of all homeowners use their attached garage as the main way to gain entry to their homes. With all of that use, it is important that your garage door remains safe. Here are some tips and tricks for maintaining a safe garage door.

1. Know How to Operate Your Emergency Release

Power outages happen. So do emergencies where you may need to leave the garage quickly. Ensure you know how to disconnect your automatic door. Most use the following steps but check with your installer for confirmation:

  • The door must be in the down position

  • Pull the emergency release cord

  • Manually move the garage door and return to the down position

  • Pull the emergency release cord toward the door

  • Re-connect the trolley to the opening carriage

2. Watch the Kids

Children are often tempted to run under a garage door before it closes.

Teach children not no play around garage doors. Keep the garage door opener out of their hands.

Placing fingers in between door sections can result in severe injury. Garage Door Child Safety reports that the most common causes of garage door injuries for children include pinched or crunched fingers or worse, head injuries, falling doors, injuries from sharp edges, or spring injuries.

3. Check Components

Look at springs, cables, rollers, and pulleys for any obvious issues. If you see anything, please do not try to fix these yourself. Contact a professional and stay safe.

4. Test the Photo Eye Safety Sensor

Check your safety sensor regularly. You can save your family from serious harm as well as other objects that are inadvertently left in the way.

5. Change your Garage Door Code

Regularly change the standard codes on the garage door opener and remotes to enhance security from unsolicited opening of your garage door. Another option is to get a rolling code that changes the access code every time it is used.

6. Consider Unplugging Your Garage Door When You’re Away

If you are going to be away from your home for an extended period of time, consider unplugging your garage door, or locking it so that is unusable until you return home.

7. Lock the Door to Your House

A garage door is the first step in securing your home while you are away, but always be sure to lock the entry door from your garage into your home. If someone should get ahold of your garage door remote, it could mean access to both your garage and your home if the door is left unlocked. Keep tabs on your garage door remotes—don’t leave your remotes with parking attendants or others you do not know. Consider putting your garage opener on a key ring so that it stays with you at all times.

Why Choose Us?

If you are looking for a new garage door or are looking for repair and maintenance services, you can trust Spotsylvania Garage Doors, LLC. Locally owned and operated, we are a 5-star Google-rated business known for experience, reliability, and customer service. Spotsylvania Garage Doors LLC services and installs all brands of garage doors. Accessories are available for residential and commercial Garage Doors to meet your individual needs and dreams.