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Safety
We are available to consult you in regards to you garage door and opener
needs. If a quick tune-up is in order we will gladly make the necessary
adjustments, however providing a fix is not always an option. If we find
that your garage door is a potential hazard we will consult you on the
options of replacement or upgrading to the point of a safely operating
device. Our #1 concern is for the safety of you and your loved ones. Garage
Doors are not toys and you should take the time to educate your children
about the potential hazards of garage doors. For more information on Safety
please look at the following links.
http://www.cpsc.gov/
http://www.ul.com/consumers/garagedoors.html
garagedoorsafety.pdf
Automatic Garage Door Opener and Garage Door Safety & Maintenance Guide
Garage
Door System Safety - An Automatic Decision
A garage door is the largest moving object in the home. They are often
operated by electric door openers. Proper installation, operation, and
maintenance and testing are necessary to provide safe, trouble-free
operation. An improperly adjusted garage door or automatic opener can exert
deadly force when the door closes. This could lead to serious injury or
death from being hit by a closing garage door or from being trapped under
the door.
Safety is Everyone's Business
A few simple precautions can protect your family and friends from potential
harm. Please take a few minutes to read the following safety and maintenance
tipe. Refer to your garage door and opener's manual for details specific to
the model you own. Then check the operation of your garage door and
automatic opener.
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Garage Door Openers are not
Toys
Do Not stand or walk under a moving door! Do not let children or
adults play "beat the door". It is dangerous and can result in serious
injury or death. Adults should set a good example. Know how to use the
emergency release, in case someone is pinned by the door.
Do Not let children play with or use the transmitters or remote
controls. Always place and store them out of the reach of children.
The pushbutton wall control should be out of the reach of children (at least
5 feet from the floor) and away from all moving parts. Mount and use the
button where you can clearly see the moving garage door.
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Teach Your Children About
Garage Door and Opener Safety
Garage door openers are not toys. Carless operation and allowing children to
play with or use garage door opener controls can lead to tragic results.
Discuss garage door safety with your children. Explain the danger of being
trapped under the door.
When using the pushbutton or transmitter, keep the door in sight until it
completely stops moving. Teach children never to play under or near an open
garage door.
Teach children to keep their hands and fingers clear of section joints,
hinges, tracks, springs and other door parts. Contact with a moving door or
its hardware could cause serious injury. These injuries can also happen with
garage doors that don't have automatic openers.
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Routine Maintenance Can Prevent
Tragedies
Take a few minutes to inspect and test your complete garage door system.
Make monthly inspection and testing a part of your regular routine. Safety
is everyone's business. Make garage door and garage door opener safety
automatic in your home.
Consult owner's manual for additional recommended maintenance for your
models of door and opener.
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Testing and Maintaining the
Garage Door Opener
There are routine safety and maintenance steps that you should follow once a
month. Review your owner's manual for the door opener. If you do not have an
owners manual, look for the opener model number on the back of the power
unit and request a manual from the manufacturer.
Reversal Test
Make sure your opener has a reversing feature. If a reversing feature is not
present, it should be replaced. Garage door openers manufactured after
January 1, 1993 are required by federal law to have advanced safety features
which comply with the latest U.L. 325 standards: Contact your manufacturer
or installer for additional information.
Test the reversing feature every month.
 | First, test the balance of the door (see "Testing and Maintaining The
Garage Door."). If the door is properly balanced, then proceed. |
| With the door fully open, place a 1-1/2" thick piece of wood (a 2"x4"
laid flat) on the floor in the center of the door. |
| Push the transmitter or wall button to close the door. The door must
reverse when it strikes the wood. (Note that the bottom part of "one
piece doors" must be rigid so that the door will not close without
reversing.) |
| If the door does not have reverse, have it repaired or replaced. Have
a qualified individual adjust, repair or replace the opener or door. |
Force Setting Test
Test the force setting of your garage door opener by holding the bottom of
the door as it closes. If the door does not reverse readily, the force may
be excessive and need adjusting. See your owners manual for details on how
to make the adjustment. Test the reversing feature after any adjustment.
Additional Safety Devices
Many garage door openers can be equipped with additional safety devices.
Consider adding a photo eye or edge sensor as an extra measure of safety to
prevent against entrapment. Keep in mind that adding more safety devices
will not make an old opener meet current U.L. standards.
Make sure the additional safety devices, such as photo eyes or edge sensors,
are properly installed and adjusted (see owner's manual).
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Testing and Maintaining the
Garage Door
Perform routine maintenance steps once a month. Review your owner's manual
for the garage door. If you don't have a manual, look for the model number
on the back of the door, or check the lock handle, hinges, or other hardware
for the manufacturer's name and request a manual from the manufacturer.
Visual Inspection
Look at the garage door springs, cables, rollers, pulleys, and other door
hardware for signs of wear. If you suspect problems, have a qualified person
make repairs.
Warning - Springs are under high tension. Only qualified persons should
adjust them
Garage door springs, cables, brackets, and other hardware attached to the
springs, are under very high tension and, if handled improperly, can cause
serious injury. Only a qualified professional or a mechanically experienced
person carefully following the manufacturer's instructions should adjust
them. The torsion springs (the springs above the door) should only be
adjusted by a professional. Do not attempt to repair or adjust the torsion
springs yourself.
A restraining cable or other device should be installed on the extension
spring (the spring along the side of the door) to help contain the spring if
it breaks.
Never remove, adjust or loosen the screws on the bottom brackets of the
door. These brackets are connected to the spring by the lift cable and are
under extreme tension.
Lubrication
Regularly lubricate the moving parts of the door. However, do not lubricate
plastic parts such as plastic rollers and plastic idler bearings. Consult
the door owner's manual for the manufacturer's recommendation.
Door Balance
Periodically test the balance of your door.
| Start with the door closed |
| If you have a garage door opener, use the release mechanism so you can
operate the door by hand when doing this test |
| You should be able to lift the door smoothly and with little
resistance. It should stay open around three or four feet above the floor.
If it does not, it is out of adjustment. Have it adjusted by a qualified
service person. |
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Garage Door Opener Safety - An
Automatic Decision
This important information is provided by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety
Commission, the National Safety Council and the Industry Coalition for
Automatic Garage Door Opener Safety.
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