June is National Garage Door Safety Month, and since this is a topic that is very important to the entire Discount Garage Door crew, we wanted to take some time to share garage door safety tips and advice with our valued friends and customers! Though huge advancements have been made in garage door and garage door opener safety, they are still large, heavy machinery that have to be treated with caution. Your garage door is the largest moving part in your home and has the potential to cause harm if not used properly. Here are our best garage door safety tips:
- Summer means storm season here in Oklahoma, and storm season means occasional power outages. Make sure you know how to manually operate your garage door in case the power goes out, so you’re never stuck without your vehicle when you need it.
- Also, consider installing a new, battery backup garage door opener. That way you never have to worry about whether or not your garage will open and close in a storm.
- Conduct a DIY garage door inspection every few weeks to make sure you spot any small repairs that can be made before they turn into big problems.
- Get a professional garage door inspection from a Discount Garage Door pro once a year, to catch any issues you might miss during your inspections.
- Never attempt major garage door repairs, like broken cables, broken torsion springs or resetting off-track doors, by yourself. These are difficult, complicated repairs that can lead to severe injury or even death if performed incorrectly. Always call a pro for these jobs.
- Never try to operate your garage door with broken springs or cables. This could cause further damage to the door, resulting in more expensive repair costs.
- Never enter or exit your garage while the garage door is in motion.
- Only open and close your garage door when you can see it.
- Watch your garage door close completely before you go inside or drive away. You don’t want to accidentally leave it open all night or day.
- You can also install a new, LiftMaster MyQ garage door opener, which lets you monitor your door from your smartphone or tablet. It will notify you if your door has remained open for an extended period of time and you can close it remotely from your mobile device.
- Never leave your garage door opener remote somewhere it can easily be found or taken. If stolen, it can be used to gain easy access to your home. Treat it like a house key.
- Install your wall-mounted garage door opener button at least five feet off the ground so it cannot accidentally be activated by children or pets. Keep your garage door opener remote out of reach of children as well, until they understand how and when to use it properly.
- Clean your garage door once every few months. This prevents a buildup of dirt and dust which can lead to issues with the door down the line.
cleaning supplies: spray bottle, broom, duster, wash cloth, scrub brush, bucket, dust pan on white tiles
- Keep your garage door and garage door opener owner’s manuals in a safe place where you can find them quickly and easily when needed. They have tips about cleaning and maintaining your exact models, as well as safety instructions. They are also handy for troubleshooting small repair issues.
- If you can’t find the manuals that came with the door and opener, go to the manufacturer website! You can download and print off PDF versions.
- Periodically test your garage door’s reverse function (the function that makes it start to roll back up if it hits anything). Put a 2×4 or something of a similar size under the door and try to close it with your garage door opener remote. When it hits the object, the door should immediately reverse direction. If not, call us to come in and repair it.
- If your garage door is more than 20 years old, consider upgrading as it is missing some important safety features that now come standard with new garage doors and garage door openers.
If you have any more questions about garage door safety, or have a job that requires the experts, give us a call! In the greater Tulsa area—including Broken Arrow, Owasso, Bixby, Jenks, Sand Springs, Bartlesville and more—you can call us at (918) 234-3667. In the Oklahoma City area, you can call us at (405) 525-3667. In Southern OKC—including Moore, Norman and more—call (405) 848-6700. In Edmond or Stillwater, call (405) 348-2000. You can also go to the Free quote section on our website to get started on an estimate today!
