March 2, 2018

Boost safety by ensuring your children know how to use garage doors safely

Opened Garage DoorChances are good that most of your family uses the interior garage door to access your home. It’s becoming more and more common these days. The front door is largely left unused.

However, this can be problematic, even dangerous. Your children could be harmed by the garage door if they don’t know basic safety and usage precautions. Below, we’ll cover some of the most important considerations you need to make regarding your kids and garage doors.

Show the Kids How It Works

Kids are curious. They want to know who things work. They want to poke and prod and fiddle and play with things. That’s completely natural. However, it can be dangerous. It’s best to show them how the garage door and opener work, so that they’re able to satisfy that curiosity under adult supervision.

First, make sure you explain to them that the garage door, while feeling very light, actually weighs between 125 pounds and 400 pounds (60 to 180 kilograms). The only reason it feels light is because of the spring system. The garage door must also be correctly balanced, which translates its weight to more manageable 8 to 10 pounds (3.5 to 4.5 kilograms). Point out the following garage door system components to your children and explain how they work.

Dangerous Components

Springs: The spring system is one of the most dangerous components on your garage door. You’ll find two different types on the market, so it’s important to identify which one is present with your door. The first is a torsion spring system that uses coiled springs located over the head of the door. The second is an extension spring system that is installed above the overhead horizontal tracks. No one in the family should touch the springs, and your children should alert you if they see a broken spring.

Lifting Cables: On each side of your garage door, you’ll find a lifting cable. These are attached to the bottom of the door, and wind around drums to help raise the door. These cables are under tremendous tension and should never be touched.

Photo-Eye Reversal System: The photo-eye reversal system is part of the overall safety system on your garage door. There’s a photo-eye on each side of your garage door, and they must be perfectly aligned in order to work. An invisible beam connects the two when they’re aligned. When an object (like your child’s legs, arms or head) breaks that beam, the door stops closing and opens.

Explain That the Garage Door Is Not a Toy

It’s vital that you explain to your children that the garage door is not a toy, and what they should and should not do around the door.

The Door Is in Motion – If the door is opening or closing, explain that your children should stay away from it. Wait until it is fully open or closed before venturing closer to it.

The Remote/Control Panel – Explain that the remote and control panel are not toys and should not be played with. This includes the exterior keypad. The remote should be stored out of reach, and the keypad and control panel should be installed at least five feet from the ground to prevent kids from reaching it.

Climbing – The garage door is not a ladder, and should never be climbed. This is particularly true for double garage doors that have interior reinforcement struts. They can look like ladder rungs, but should never be climbed under any circumstances.

Joints/Sections and Little Fingers – Little fingers can easily fit within the joints and in between sections of the garage door. Make sure that doesn’t happen. Serious injury could occur if the door opened while your child’s fingers were in the joint or in between sections. Make sure you have lift handles on the garage door, and that your children never try to open or close the door manually by putting their fingers between sections.

A Helping Hand – As your children get older, get them to help keep an eye on their younger siblings. Also, make sure that your children never race one another to leave by the garage door while the door is closing. All it takes for tragedy to strike is a trip and a malfunctioning safety system.

Safeguard Your Access Code

Make sure that your keypad access code remains a secret. Explain to your children than they should never let anyone see the code when they put it into the keypad, including their friends. This isn’t so much about deterring theft, but preventing another child from accessing the garage when you’re not home and potentially injuring themselves or someone else with the garage door.

If You Need a Tune-up or Replacement

If your garage door or opener is in need of a tune-up, or it’s time to replace the door completely, get in touch with us at 705-324-1005. We can offer you a free quote, but would also be happy to visit you in person to discuss your needs. If you’re interested in replacing your garage door, check out our Design Centre, or our image gallery for some inspiration.

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