2023-12-01 9 min read
# Essential Garage Door Safety Features Every Family Should Know About
Your garage door is one of the largest and heaviest moving objects in your home. While modern garage doors are designed with multiple safety features, understanding how these features work.and ensuring they function properly.is essential for protecting your family.
Garage doors can weigh between 150 and 400 pounds. An improperly maintained door or one with malfunctioning safety features can pose serious risks, including:
- Crushing injuries from a closing door, Entrapment under the door, Injury from failing springs or cables, Children or pets being struck by a moving door
Photo eye sensors are the most important safety feature on your garage door. Installed about 6 inches above the floor on either side of the door opening, these sensors project an invisible beam across the doorway. If anything breaks this beam while the door is closing, the door automatically reverses direction.
Testing Photo Eyes: 1. Place an object like a box in the door's path 2. Press the close button on your opener 3. The door should reverse when it detects the obstruction 4. Test monthly and after any bumps to the sensor
In addition to photo eyes, all garage door openers manufactured after 1993 must have an auto-reverse feature that triggers when the door contacts an object. This mechanical failsafe provides backup protection if the photo eyes fail.
Testing Auto-Reverse: 1. Lay a 2x4 flat on the floor in the door's path 2. Close the door using the opener 3. When the door contacts the board, it should reverse immediately 4. If it doesn't reverse, adjust the sensitivity or contact a professional
Every automatic garage door opener includes a manual release, usually a red handle hanging from the track. This allows you to disconnect the door from the opener and operate it manually during power outages or if the opener fails.
Using Manual Release: 1. Pull the red handle down and toward the door 2. This disconnects the door from the opener carriage 3. Lift the door manually 4. To reconnect, simply operate the opener.it will automatically reconnect
Modern garage door openers use rolling code technology, which generates a new security code each time you use the remote. This prevents code grabbing, where thieves use devices to capture and replicate your opener's signal.
Treat your garage door remote like a key to your home. Don't leave it visible in your car, and consider using a keychain remote instead of the visor-mounted type.
Teach children that the garage door is not a toy. They should: - Never stand or walk under a moving door, Never touch the door's bottom edge while it's moving, Never play with the remote control, Never try to race under a closing door
Schedule annual professional maintenance to ensure all safety features are functioning properly. During maintenance, technicians will: - Test and adjust photo eye alignment, Check auto-reverse sensitivity, Inspect springs, cables, and hardware, Lubricate moving parts, Verify manual release operation
Perform a monthly visual inspection of your garage door system: - Check for frayed cables, Look for worn springs, Examine rollers and hinges, Verify photo eyes are aligned and clean, Test the door's balance
Contact a garage door professional immediately if you notice: - The door doesn't reverse when it hits an object, Photo eye sensors aren't working, Springs appear worn or damaged, The door falls quickly when released manually, Any unusual sounds during operation
Garage door safety is a shared responsibility between manufacturers, installers, and homeowners. By understanding your door's safety features and maintaining them properly, you can ensure your family stays protected. At Garage Door Oviedo, safety is our top priority. Contact us for a comprehensive safety inspection of your garage door system.