Automatic garage doors are one of the wonders of modern life, but they do have downsides. Like anything automatic, a malfunctioning garage door can cause serious issues, and it’s also important to make sure your garage door doesn’t make it easy for someone to break into your home.
With that in mind, here are some safety tips for garage door owners.
1 – Make sure the coast is clear
Modern doors have all sorts of safety features to make sure they won’t hit a child or hurt a pet. But it is still safer to make sure the coast is clear before you open your garage door. Double-check the driveway before you press the button, and consider making the indoor part of the garage off-limits to your kids.
2 – Test the safety features
Most modern garage doors come with an auto-reverse function, which makes the door reverse when it comes into contact with something. This helps reduce the chances of the door hitting a child, pet, or car. This feature can prevent all sorts of accidents, and it is worth the upgrade if your door doesn’t have it.
However, a safety feature is only useful if it works. Make sure you test the auto-reverse function every few months to make sure it’s still working as intended. Otherwise, you risk only learning that your auto-reverse is broken after your door has caused real damage to something or someone.
3 – Test the manual release
Garage doors typically have manual release options so your car won’t be stuck in the garage during a power outage. Make sure you give it a try at least once because there is a lot the owner’s manual won’t tell you.
For example, you may find that the door is too heavy to open manually on your own, or that it is very difficult to close after it has been opened manually. And these are all things you want to learn before you find yourself dealing with an actual power outage or some sort of emergency.
4 – Do regular inspections
Check your garage door for anything that is cracked, rusting, or showing other potential issues from time to time. The sooner you spot garage door issues, the sooner you can have a Dayton garage door repair service fix them for you, which will ensure your door will always work as intended.
5 – Keep track of your remote
Bad actors can get a lot done with a garage door remote, from stealing them to cloning them in a matter of minutes, so it’s best to keep track of your remote while you are out and about. If you have lost your remote or have reason to believe it might have been compromised, you can change the door’s security code to prevent any issues.
It’s also a good idea to keep your garage door locked. This way if someone gains access to your garage, they won’t also have immediate access to your house.
6 – Unplug the garage door
The best way to make sure no one can open your garage door is to simply unplug it. This can be used as a way to keep your house safer during long trips. Another option is to plug your garage door operator into a smart outlet, which can be set up to cut the power to the door during the night and other times when you are unlikely to use it.
