Safely Using Your Garage Doors
Most families use their garage about 3–4 times a day. This means that they open their garage door by moving it up and down around 1,000 to 1,500 times throughout a year. Within these 1,000–1,500 times, there are a lot of opportunities for an accident to happen. Garage doors can quickly become a major safety concern if you do not take care of them properly.
The NEISS (National Electronic Injury Surveillance System) reports that ERs (emergency rooms) treat over 15,000 people suffering from garage door injuries every year. Avoid becoming another statistic at all costs by using these proven garage door tips to keep your entire family safe.
Check the Safety Sensors
Checking safety sensors is very important. First, find the safety sensors. They will be about six inches off the ground attached to the rails where the garage door goes up and down. These sensors should be in optimum condition, as their primary job is to prevent the garage door from closing if it senses a person or animal walking underneath it.
You can test your garage door safety sensors by first pushing the button to close the garage door, and then placing an object in front of one of the sensors before the door closes. If your safety sensors are working correctly, they should stop immediately and reverse once the beam is blocked. If this does not happen, call Door Doctor’s professionals in Montreal or Toronto to schedule an appointment for any needed repairs.
Watch Your Fingers
NEISS further reports that over 7,500 injuries happen yearly from fingers getting stuck between the panels of garage doors. While some newer garage doors come with “pinch protection” that dramatically reduces the risk of these injuries, it is still important to teach kids not to stick their hands between the panels of a garage door when it’s closing.
Inspect Your Garage Door Monthly
Garage door springs should always be strong enough to lift the door and hold it up so that it does not fall. Look them over about once a month to make sure the springs are not rusted. If they look like they are in poor condition, call us for a garage door spring replacement.
Moreover, you should check how the pulley system is holding up at least once a month. This will help prevent your garage door spring from accidentally snapping and causing a severe injury. Remember that the main garage door springs are under a ton of tension, and should only be adjusted by a trained and licensed garage door repair technician.
Hire a Garage Door Repair Professional
Of course, you want your garage door to be safe and reliable. Here at Door Doctor, we want the same thing. Our crew consists of highly skilled professionals that have all the latest garage door safety training and are licensed in garage door services. Plus, they are up to date with all the new products when it comes to garage door repairs.
If you are still concerned about the safety of your garage door, our technicians will be more than happy to perform an inspection and make any necessary repairs. All you have to do is call us; we’ll sort out all your garage door problems.
