Don't Be The Indiana Jones Of Garage Doors
We all remember the classic movie scenes where the hero is trying to escape the bad guys by jumping under a closing door just before it would crush him. We know it's all Hollywood magic, but to young children, it might seem like a game. Unfortunately, this game could have tragic consequences. Garage door safety is no laughing matter, and it's up to responsible parents to take all the precautions necessary to protect adventurous kids.
Garage Doors are Not Toys
When you realize that a garage door is your home's largest moving object, you become aware of the damage it can do to animals and young children. Nowadays, most garage doors are operated by automatic openers, often controlled remotely. A gang of unsupervised kids and a remote opener is a recipe for danger. You can mitigate much of this danger by ensuring your garage doors are properly installed, tested and maintained. Remember, a poorly adjusted door or opener can deliver crushing force that can kill or maim. Serious injury can result from a blow from a moving door or from being pinned under a heavy door.
Teach Your Children Well
One of the best ways to protect children is to explain the dangers of a garage door and lay down the law:
- Do not walk or stand under a moving door
- Do not let kids (or adults) play "beat the door" -- they are not Indiana Jones and there is no assurance of a happy ending. As an adult, it's up to you to set a good example.
- Understand how the emergency release works and always have it tested when you have the door maintained. The release can save the life of a pinned pet or child.
- Do not allow your children to play with the remote control. Make sure you store it out of a child's reach.
- If you have a pushbutton wall control, make sure it is at least five feet off the floor and away from the door's moving parts. Place the wall unit in a place where it is easy to clearly see the garage door's movement, and when operating the door, keep your eye on it until it is fully closed.
- Sit down and have "the talk" with your kids -- not exactly scared straight, but they have to understand the dangers of playing with garage door openers. Point out how painful it would be to be pinned under a garage door.
- Program a passcode into your openers and keep it private. Don't let your children see you entering the code, but if they do, immediately change the code. A remote control with passcode security won't operate unless you enter the correct code.
- Also teach your children to keep their tiny fingers away from panels, door tracks, hinges, springs and other parts that can pinch or crush a little hand.
Safety Equipment and Maintenance
Modern doors have security devices that help increase safety. Electric eyes reverse a closing door if some object (or person) blocks the beam. Another important safety device is the inherent safety built into the opener. This senses that he door has slowed or stopped but is not at the end of its travel. When this happens, the door will reverse to fully open. These devices must be properly maintained to ensure they are working correctly.
You can create and use your own monthly maintenance checklist without having any particular expertise. The list should include the following:
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Garage Door Hitting Car
Reversal Test: Place a two-by-four in the center portion of the floor underneath the door. Engage the opener to close the door and verify that the door reverses as soon as it hits the wood. Failure to reverse requires immediate repair or replacement of the door
- Test All Safety Equipment: You can pass a long stick across the electric eye at the base of a door during the closing cycle, which should immediately trigger a reversal.
- Read Your Manual: It will include routine maintenance instructions that just about anyone can perform. Do not, however, try to maintain the springs -- they are under high tension and can be deadly if improperly released.
- Professional Maintenance: Schedule an annual inspection and maintenance with a garage door professional to replace worn parts and lubricate the springs. Speak to your local Overhead Door dealer to ensure you use a properly certified professional.
