5 Tips for Keeping Children Safe Around Garage Doors

1. Set Rules About Playing With and Around a Garage Door

Children are curious by nature, and as such, may be fascinated by the garage door. Using it to play games—racing under it, hanging from it, etc.—or even just playing in the driveway when a garage door is up can be dangerous. The garage door opener should never be regarded as a toy; instead, set boundaries for your children in terms of the garage door, and encourage safer play areas and items.

2. Assess Obstruction Sensor and Auto-reverse Features

If you have an outdated garage door that doesn’t have an obstruction sensor and an auto-reverse feature, you need to update your garage door immediately. And, even if you do have a more modern garage door with these features, you should be checking them monthly to ensure that they still work. When obstruction and auto-reverse technologies are defective or broken, terrible accidents can happen.

3. Check for Safety Cables

Most older garage doors don’t have safety cables. With no safety cables, a garage door spring break can cause property damage, and lead to serious injury if a person is in the way. If your garage door has extension springs but no safety cable—or if the cables appear worn and in danger of breaking—call a garage door service company in Cedar Lake or Lowell immediately.

4. Perform Regular Garage Door Maintenance

One of the best ways to prevent an accident from happening is to perform regular garage door maintenance. Performing garage door maintenance includes:

• Checking springs and coils
• Checking cables
• Listening for squeaks, unusual sounds
• Assessing whether or not the door moves up and down smoothly
• Checking auto-reverse feature
• Performing obstruction sensor tests
• Performing a garage door balance test
• Lubricating door’s hinges

If you notice anything out of the ordinary, don’t hesitate to have it fixed immediately.

5. Schedule a Professional Garage Door Safety Assessment

Finally, one of the best garage door safety tips that you can employ is to have your garage door assessed by a professional. If you garage door is out-of-date and dangerous, the team at Affordable Garage Door Inc. can work with you to explore your repair or replacement options. Serving Lowell, Cedar Lake, and the Lake County, Indiana area, we want to hear from you today. To schedule your assessment, contact us online or call us today at 219-696-4279.