Garage Door Safety Tips

Garage doors and their components are an important part of the home to maintain and keep functioning. Working on garage doors brings a variety of serious safety risks which is why it is generally recommended to contact professional technicians if there is a major problem. However, there is some easy maintenance that can be performed routinely to keep the system functioning safely. The easiest maintenance that can be performed on a garage door system is the visual inspection. About every four weeks, it is a good idea to thoroughly inspect all components of the system for worn out or broken parts. Because of the serious nature of this work, call a technician to inspect the problem or approach with caution according to these safety tips.

The biggest component of this system is the door itself. The garage door is the largest door of a house and it is powered by an electric opener. It is important to make sure that the door is properly aligned and adjusted, otherwise the door could become disconnected from the opener and fall shut without warning. If this happens, the power exerted by the door is strong enough to cause serious injury or death. The overall safety of the door is affected by its component parts so it is important to know how to inspect each part individually to make sure the whole system is functional.

The garage door opener is the next biggest component of this system. There are several different varieties of openers that differ in opening mechanism and power. One way to ensure safe operation of the door opener is to make sure the opener type is right for the size and weight of the door. Failure to match the door with the proper opener could lead to problems for both components and make the door unsafe to operate. Garage door technicians can help determine which openers work best for the different door types. The other safety tip to keep in mind with door openers is the sensor law. Since 1993, it has been a federal law that all openers must be equipped with sensors that prevent the door from closing if they detect something in the path of the door. Any door openers that are too old to have these sensors should be replaced.

The corner brackets of the door are another component that should be inspected regularly. The corner brackets are located at the bottom corners of the garage door and are attached to the cables that lift the door. If the cables become disconnected, the brackets could dangerously fly off the door and cause serious injury. If there is a problem with the corner brackets or the cables, it is best to call a trained technician to handle the repairs.

The most dangerous and important component to the functionality of the garage door is the door springs. Garage door springs hold the tension of the door and if not properly handled could release that tension and fly dangerously off its mounts. There are two main types of springs, extension and torsion springs. Extension springs are mounted perpendicular to the closed door and they lift the door by extending and stretching while torsion springs are mounted parallel to the top of the door and lift it by winding and unwinding. Both types of springs are very dangerous and need to be adjusted by trained professionals with the proper tools. Performing these regular inspections can help keep a garage door system functional and help detect problems before they cause further damage to the system. Be sure to perform routine inspections to ensure safe operation.

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