The garage door is the largest and potentially one of the most dangerous appliances in our homes. Yet in some cases it’s not treated that way. There are many stories of people getting hurt trying to repair their garage doors themselves, we always encourage homeowners to seek a professional when it comes to their garage. Being the largest opening into our home, garage doors can hurt yourselves or others and damage things if not used properly and maintained correctly.
With “Garage Door Safety Month” just days away, all of us should be aware of a few DO’s & DON’Ts when it comes to our garage doors.
Do not try to replace the springs on your garage door unless you’re familiar with doing so and even then this should be left up to the professionals. Many people have been injured when trying to replace broken springs. This is because of the tremendous torque and pressure that a spring has when it is wound. I have heard of and have seen firsthand the injured body parts
when this happens. Let’s just say, in the end it is not worth the extra dollars you might have saved being a DIYer.
Do hire a professional who will use the correct tools when replacing
garage doors springs. Even those of us that have replaced springs in the past should use the upmost caution when attempting to replace springs. One slip of the winding rod and an injury can occur.
Do not drive away without seeing the garage door completely shut. There also have been a number of reported cases of the garage door coming down and crushing a person, child or a pet when the operator drives away without seeing the garage door close all the way. Over the years, we have seen many vehicles not pulled into the garage completely and in result they have been dented by the door coming down on them.
Dohave your garage door serviced every year or 18 months at the longest. A well lubricated and adjusted garage door & garage door opener, add years of life to both. Lubrication can be done by anyone during the course of the year. Or as always, have a garage door professional come out to do a safety inspection and general maintenance of your door. A good quality spray lubricant is recommended. **Do NOT use WD 40, use the proper garage door lubricant found at a garage door center.
Do not allow anyone to treat your garage doors as a toy. We have heard stories (believe it or not) of a man that would allow his children to hold on to the garage door as he ran it up and down giving them a “ride.” Unbelievable as this may sound, things like that happen all the time. Could you imagine if one of those kids had their fingers caught in the door as it closed?
As they say “ safety first,” please.
