4 Risks to Look Out for During Garage Door Safety Month

Did you know that June is Garage Door Safety Month? Started by the International Door Association (IDA) and Door & Access Systems Manufacturers Association (DASMA), Garage Door Safety Month aims to bring awareness to the safety risks that garage doors can pose. To help ensure you and your family are using your garage door safely, we have complied four common garage door safety risks and tips to avoid them.

Falling Garage Doors

When garage doors are well-installed, they’re also balanced in a specific way, so homeowners often don’t realize how heavy they are. In most homes, the garage door is the largest and heaviest piece of moving equipment. It can cause severe injury if it were to fall. Here are a few tips to help prevent a garage door from falling:

• Never try to enter or exit your garage while the door is in motion.
• Perform a monthly reversal and balance tests on your garage door – Check out IDA’s Garage Door Safety & Maintenance Guide for more information on these tests.
• Ensure that everyone in your household is familiar with your garage door’s emergency release.

Pinch Hazards

Pinch hazards are one of the most common types of garage door injury. Garage door springs, rollers, tracks, and panels can all badly pinch a finger or hand if not handled properly.

To avoid this type of injury, never place your finger in between door sections, near tracks, or around rollers while the door is in motion. If you have young children, you may want to consider pinch-resistant door panels.

Garage Door Remotes

Your garage door remote makes entering and exiting your garage quick and easy, but it is important to make sure you are handling your garage door remote safely, especially if you have children. Make sure that your children know that your garage door and remote are not toys. If possible, keep your garage door remote and wall control push button out of reach of young children – at least 5 ft from the ground.

Lastly, make sure the garage door is visible when you’re operating your remote or wall control. Never open or close your garage door when you cannot see the door.

Do-It-Yourself Repairs

Some homeowners may prefer to perform their own garage door maintenance rather than seek out the assistance of a professional. While some maintenance is DIY friendly, installation of a new door and any fixes to rollers, springs, cables, and tracks should always be left to a licensed garage door repair professional. Remember that a properly installed garage door is much safer than an improperly installed one.

When maintained properly and handled with care, garage doors do not pose a threat. Remember to follow these garage door safety tips and have your garage door serviced regularly. If you are in the Portland or Vancouver area and your garage door is due for a check-up, contact our garage door maintenance experts today!