6 min read
Your garage door is the largest moving object in your home and one of the most potentially dangerous. Every year, thousands of injuries occur from garage door accidents.many involving children. The good news is that most accidents are preventable with proper awareness, maintenance, and safety features.
A typical residential garage door weighs 150-400 pounds. When in motion, it can exert hundreds of pounds of force. The most common injuries include:
- Entrapment injuries when fingers, hands, or bodies are caught in closing doors or between panels - Impact injuries from doors falling due to broken springs or cables - Pinch injuries from door panels and hinges during operation - Carbon monoxide exposure from running vehicles in closed garages
Modern garage doors include several safety features. Make sure yours are working properly:
Photo-eye sensors are required by law on all garage door openers manufactured after 1993. These sensors create an invisible beam across the door opening. If anything breaks the beam while the door is closing, it immediately reverses direction. Test monthly by placing an object in the door's path.
Auto-reverse mechanism causes the door to reverse if it contacts an object while closing. Test by placing a 2x4 board flat on the floor in the door's path. The door should reverse upon contact with the board.
Emergency release cord (usually red) allows you to manually open the door if the power goes out or the opener fails. Every family member old enough should know where it is and how to use it.
Manual locks should be used when you're away for extended periods. This prevents forced entry through the opener system.
Children are involved in many garage door accidents. Teach them these rules:
- Never play under or near a moving garage door - It's not a game to "race" the door - Keep fingers away from door sections - The spaces between panels can cause serious pinch injuries - Never touch the springs or cables - These are under extreme tension - The remote/button is not a toy - Only adults should operate the door - If the door is moving, stand clear - Wait until it stops completely before approaching
Perform these checks monthly to ensure your door operates safely:
1. Visual inspection: Look for worn cables, loose hardware, damaged panels, and rusted springs 2. Photo-eye test: Block the sensor beam while the door is closing.it should immediately reverse 3. Auto-reverse test: Place a 2x4 board in the door's path.door should reverse on contact 4. Balance test: Disconnect the opener and manually lift the door halfway.it should stay in place 5. Force setting test: While the door is closing, hold the bottom edge.it should reverse with moderate resistance
Watch for these warning signs and call for service immediately:
- Frayed or damaged cables: These can snap suddenly under tension - Gaps in spring coils: Indicates the spring is about to break - Grinding or scraping noises: Could indicate track misalignment or worn bearings - Door sags on one side: Often means a cable or spring has failed - Door is hard to lift manually: Springs may be worn and unable to counterbalance
Know what to do in emergency situations:
If someone is trapped under the door: Call 911 immediately. If the door has an emergency release, carefully pull it to disengage the opener, allowing the door to be manually lifted.
If the door falls suddenly: Do not attempt to catch it. Get everyone away from the door and call for professional service.
If the power goes out: Use the emergency release to disconnect the opener and operate the door manually.
If you smell gas in the garage: Do not operate the door electrically.a spark could cause an explosion. Exit immediately and call the gas company.
Annual professional inspections can identify problems before they become dangerous. Our technicians check:
- Spring condition and tension, Cable wear and attachment points, Track alignment and hardware, Safety feature functionality, Weather seal condition, Opener settings and force adjustments
Schedule your safety inspection with Garage Door Palmdale by calling 661-443-3042. Your family's safety is our priority.