Summertime means days filled with outdoor fun! Kids love to play in the yard and on the driveway. As they move in and out of the house and play around in the garage, make sure they are safe! It’s a great time to have a talk with them about safe practices around garage doors for kids and pets! Let’s take a look at some timely garage door safety tips you can apply to your garage to keep everyone safe.
Don’t Throw Toys or Balls Around When the Garage Door is in Motion
Let them know that when they see the garage door is opening or closing, they need to stop what they’re doing and make sure that they are away from the door. Explain that throwing things when the door is moving may cause the door to break, or someone may get hurt.
Everyone Should Keep Their Fingers Away From the Moving Parts of the Garage Door
Most kids don’t realize that garage doors are heavy, and they are run by a machine, your garage door opener. Point out to the kids where the tracks, rollers, and cables are. Make sure they understand that when these parts are in motion, they absolutely should not be touched. Getting your fingers pinched here when the door is moving will not be a pleasant experience!
Always Exit the Garage Carefully
Sometimes, kids are known to make it a game to sneak out or in under the garage door as it’s closing. This is so dangerous and can lead to serious injury. Kids aren’t the only ones, though. Keep your pets secure while the door is moving as well. If you don’t have one already, considering installing a keypad outside the garage door so that you can close the door safely from outside the garage.
Make Sure Your Garage Door Sensors are Working Properly
In a perfect world, your garage door sensors would catch every attempt at unsafe exit or entry. Typically, they will stop or reverse the door if the sensor becomes aware of something in the way of the door. This should keep kids and pets from being crushed if they are in the way.
But, you must check your sensors from time to time and make sure that they are working correctly. Check the safety eye beams and the led lights on each one. Make sure that they are correctly aligned and that the led lights are solid and not blinking. If the inspection determines that you need to replace or repair your sensors, call us at Door Tech in Gambrills, and ask us to come out and do a safety inspection on your garage door.
I hope you found this information to be helpful. Please contact us today if we can help with any of your garage door needs!