Jun 25 2010
Summer Garage Door Safety Tips
June is National Garage Door Safety and for good reason – it is the time of year children are getting out of school and more activity is going on outdoors. The garage door is a convenient, though potentially dangerous object. Weighing in at over 300 pounds this giant moving wall can harm children if it is mishandled. Now that the kids are getting out of school, this is the perfect opportunity to sit them down and talk about a few important garage door safety tips. These are good for you to know as well as a homeowner.
1. Never stand, walk, or run under a moving garage door. Children make a fun game playing chicken with the door. They hit the button to close it then run to see if they can make it past before the door closes. While many doors come installed with safety sensors that halt and reverse a closing door if it senses a child or object beneath the path of the door, do not put your child’s safety in the hands of the machine.
2. Double and triple check the safety sensors on your door. Even if your children are not playing games like chicken as mentioned in tip 1, it is entirely possible that they may forgetfully walk underneath the closing door. Checking to make sure the sensors detect an obstruction and reverse adds an extra layer of security and comfort.
3. If your garage has a keypad to gain entry and your child knows the code, explain the importance of keeping it a secret. The best practice is to change the code at least once a year, so this may be a good time to do that and have the conversation with your child about keeping the new code a secret. This safeguards your possessions and more importantly your family against anyone who may hear the code and decide to break in – even as remote as that may sound.
4. Keep track of the remote controls and mount the wall button beyond reach. The wall button is the device inside the garage, typically right next to the door, that opens and closes it. These should be approximately 6 feet off the ground in order to keep them out of reach of young children. If yours is too low, you can move it yourself by simply unscrewing it from the sheet rock or wood and screwing it in higher. For remotes, keep them locked in your car or in your purse or cabinet. This way your children will not be able to grab them and play while you are unaware.
5. Most important of all, take your child aside and speak to them about the danger of a garage door. Impress upon them that it is not a toy and that it can hurt or kill them. They should not play with the buttons on it or try to open the door themselves. A garage door in Chicago last summer caught the sleeve of a child and pulled him up into the garage. Thankfully his older brother was nearby and pulled him out before he got too hurt, escaping with a few scrapes and bruises, but your child should know these things do happen.
By following these tips, you can rest easy knowing that your children will have an enjoyable and safe summer.
Greg Wesker provides tips and tricks for getting the most out of your garage door service. If you run into trouble with your door and can’t seem to fix it yourself, give Garage Door Chicago a call.