Garage Door Safety

It might not look like it, but a garage door can actually be one of the most hazardous items in and around your home. Countless injuries, and even deaths, have resulted from inadequate garage door safety practices, both in installation and operation of the door that is often the most used point of entrance to a home.

Manual Doors
Manual doors present a hazard if they are incorrectly installed or maintained. Once open, your garage door should remain firmly in the up position until it is lowered intentionally. Its closing action should be regulated by the spring mechanism so that it closes firmly so that it can be locked, but doesn’t come crashing down. Regular inspection and adjustment by a professional will keep a manual garage door working safely.

Automatic Doors
Most homes use automatic garage door openers, because they’re convenient. You can open the door and enter without having to leave your car.

A mechanism that can move a heavy item like a roll-up garage door needs to be respected. Regular service by a qualified professional is required.

Children are particularly vulnerable, because they often don’t understand the hazardous nature of the garage door. It’s essential that you ensure the actuator buttons for your garage door are out of reach of children too young to appreciate the dangers they present, and that your remote openers are in a location where they can’t be grabbed.

Never leave your garage door part way open. When you start it, it may travel downward, resulting in an injury. Make sure to keep fingers clear of the door as it opens or closes, and look into anti-pinch protectors for your doors if you have children.

Inspect your door’s mechanism regularly, looking for signs of breakage, wear, etc. When it comes time for service, however, it is strongly recommended that you seek the services of a professional. Your door’s raising and lowering mechanism utilizes springs under very high load, and service by someone other than a trained professional can result in a serious injury or even death.

Overhead Door of Winnipeg can help you keep your residential garage door working safely. Contact us online, by telephone at (204) 233-7167, or visit our showroom at 470 Des Meurons Street in Winnipeg or in Brandon’s Southview Industrial Park.