Keeping Your Garage Doors Safe from Danger

Did you know that a garage door is the largest moving object in the home? It is also one of the primary sources of entry and danger if not maintained properly. Since 1993 when manufacturer safety laws were put into effect, garage door accidents have declined. However, many homeowners simply neglect garage door maintenance, which should be evaluated annually. If you are one of many homeowners who haven’t inspected your garage doors in 2 years or more, you may have a huge accident waiting to happen.

As the largest moving object in your house, if a garage door breaks, it can cause severe damage and injury. The two main points of safety for a garage door involve the use of safety cables in extension springs and safety sensors. When a garage door is in the down position, the extension springs are under maximum tension and can be extremely dangerous if it breaks. Installing Safety cables can keep a broken garage door spring from flailing around your garage and smashing into your walls or worse! 

To test for sensor safety, place an object on the floor directly under the path of a closing garage door. Make sure your children and pets are out of the way. If the door does not reopen after touching the object, you need to call for service. Most garage door systems also have light sensors on both sides of the garage entrance that projects a light beam across the floor. As the door is closing, wave a baseball bat or broom in the path of the light beam. Again, if the door doesn’t retract, you need to call for service.

As a homeowner, you should mark your calendar when your annual garage door maintenance needs to be scheduled. However, we recommend that you leave the repair and replacement of broken springs and sensors to professionals like Moose Track because we have years of skill in ensuring safety. There are other moving parts in an automatic garage door system besides springs, such as electric motors, and whether the door itself is properly aligned. Moose Track has the tools and experience to make sure your doors are operational and fully maintained for years to come. Protect yourself, your children, and your pets from danger. Call Moose Track Garage Doors for peace of mind.