Maximizing Safety with Your Garage Door: 8 Garage Door Safety Tips

Garage doors are an essential component to many homes providing convenience and security. They get more use than we may think which leads to the occasional worn-out track or typical wear and tear on your garage door system. As with all moving parts, regular maintenance helps keep your garage door moving smoothly and safely. If not properly maintained, garage doors can become quite dangerous. In our blog, we highlight the importance of regular maintenance and other garage door safety tips to ensure your garage door is working properly and is in safe operating condition. Here are our 8 Garage Door Safety Tips:

Replace Springs

Springs are a critical component of your garage door system, but they can also be a source of danger and accidents. That’s why it’s important to leave any adjustments or repairs to the springs to trained garage door professionals. Attempting to handle the springs yourself could result in serious injury or damage to your door. It is always better to reach out to a professional to ensure proper working order and safety. 

Check Cables and Tracks

Over time with use, garage door cables can become frayed or damaged, which can lead to serious malfunctions or accidents. Regularly checking the cables and tracks for any signs of wear and tear is a key part of maintaining the safety of your garage door system. If you notice any issues with your cables or tracks, it’s important to have them repaired or replaced by a garage door professional. Neglecting cable and track maintenance can put you and your family at risk, so make sure to add this important step to your routine garage door maintenance schedule.

Emergency Release

When the power goes out, your door renders itself useless as it cannot move the door without electricity. In this case, an emergency release would be very helpful to quickly and easily release the garage door so that you can open it manually. Make sure that you are familiar with the emergency release mechanism for your garage door and know how to use it in case of an emergency. 

Safety Photosensors

Another important safety feature for your Amarr garage door system to consider installing is photo eye sensors. Safety Photo Sensors come standard on all openers (1993-present), but cannot be added to older units. Photo eyes are safety sensors that will prevent the door from closing if anything is blocking the path of the door. This is an essential safety feature, especially if you have children or pets who may wander in front of the door path.

Auto-Reverse Mechanism

One of the most important safety features you can install in your garage door is an auto-reverse mechanism. This mechanism will stop the door from closing if it comes into contacts with an object, like a person, pet, or object. These mechanisms are lifesaving features that can prevent serious injury, death, and accidents. Auto-reverse mechanisms come standard on all openers (1993-present), but cannot be added to older units.

Stay out of the way of Moving the Door 

If you don’t have an auto-reverse garage door mechanism, one of the easiest ways to avoid injury or accidents is to stay out of the way of the moving garage door. With the weight of the door, it will not stop any fingers or limbs so you will need to steer clear to avoid any injury. 

Mount Push Buttons Higher and up-to-date Opener

In homes with children, it’s important to take steps to ensure that they can’t accidentally activate the garage door opener. One way to do this is to mount the push buttons higher on the wall or out of reach of little hands. Additionally, updating your garage door opener to a more recent model can provide newly added safety features. By taking these two steps, you can keep your family safe and secure, and prevent any accidental activation of your garage door.

Regular Maintenance 

Like with anything with moving parts, keeping up with regular maintenance on your garage door system is key to preventing issues from happening that could cause injury or pose danger. Regular maintenance should include checking for any loose hardware, worn out parts, and ensuring that the door is properly balanced. If there are any broken parts, cables, or springs, make sure to call a garage door professional for any questions to ensure your safety during these maintenance checks. This will help prevent malfunctions that could lead to accidents or injuries.

By regularly maintaining your garage door and following our guide on how to maximize garage door safety, you can ensure that your garage is safe and secure for you, your family, and your home. If you have any questions about your garage door whether it be general maintenance questions, or product inquiries, or are interested in more garage door safety information, feel free to contact our team of garage door professionals.