While wildly convenient, it’s also important to understand that garage doors are also under massive amounts of tension. While this tension helps your garage door properly, it also comes with an element of risk. If you are a parent, grandparent, or often have small visitors to your home, you know keeping them safe is a top priority. Staying up to date on maintenance and establishing strong boundaries surrounding the garage door can help prevent the worst from occurring. Sit down with the children in your life, and teach them these easy lessons to ensure their safety while they are playing in and around the garage:

Establish Garage Door Rules

With these simple garage door rules, your family can prevent serious injuries as well as damage to the mechanisms:

• Children should understand that playing with or underneath the door, as well as leaving bicycles and other toys in the path of the garage door, is a big no-no. The area should always remain clear, especially when opening or closing the garage door.
• The remote control is not a toy, and the button should not be pressed unless intentionally operating the door. Same goes for the sensors underneath the garage door.
• If your garage door opener has a passcode, children should understand that this code should not be shared with others.
• The garage door should NEVER be touched during operation. Moving panels can pinch tiny fingers, and “riding” the garage door as it opens can lead to serious accidents.

Show Your Children How The Garage Door Works

Children are naturally curious, and love to know what is happening in the world around them. Teaching children exactly how the garage door works empowers them and may stifle any mischief that occurs out of curiosity. Show them the springs and lifting cables, explaining the pressure they are under so they know not to pluck or pull these parts. You should also spend some time explaining just how important the sensors are. Children should know that these sensors must stay aligned to keep everyone safe.

Garage safety extends far beyond the door. Remember to keep all powerful and dangerous tools securely locked out of reach. The same goes for various chemicals you may have set aside. And remember – the more educated your children are about safety, the more empowered they become.

Your garage door faces daily wear and tear. And as one of the largest moving objects in your home, it’s important to ensure your garage door is secure. That’s why the experts at Adam’s Door Systems have put together a list of practical garage door safety tips to keep you and your family safe! 

1. The button for the garage door opener should be mounted out of small children’s reach. We recommend a minimum of 5′ from the floor. 

2. Prevention begins with education. Children should be shown a good example of how to safely operate a garage door. They should also be told that garage door remote controls are not to be played with.

3. Carefully read your owner’s manual to learn how to properly operate your garage door opener – especially the emergency release feature.

4. Be sure to visually inspect your garage door once a month. It’s important to pay attention to the springs, cables, rollers, and pulleys for signs of wear and tear. You should also test the reversing mechanism at least once a month by placing a 2×4 board in the door’s path.

5. Never attempt to perform repairs on the garage door yourself. This is especially important for high tension mechanisms such as cables and springs. If you notice signs of damage, or the garage door does not reverse when tested, contact a qualified professional for assistance.

6. Provide an additional layer of security by installing sensors that work in conjunction with your garage door opener. These sensors, located on opposing sides along the bottom of the door, prevent the door from closing when an object breaks the connecting laser. 

7. Another important aspect of garage door safety is garage door security! Garage doors can provide uninvited access to your home if precautions are not taken. To prevent any incidents, never leave your garage door partially open. If you are going to be away from home for a while, unplug the garage door opener unit. Finally, be sure to always lock the door from the garage to the inside of your home.

Looking to repair or replace a garage door? Trust our seasoned technicians to solve your garage door problems any time. Contact Adams Door Systems today!

Garage doors are definitely the biggest and the heaviest among the entry doors in a house. Many people often get injured with these large doors due to carelessness and lack of safety. It is recommended you read the section below to know how to avoid the most common injuries that people get because of their garage doors.
People often get their fingers caught in the middle of the sections of the garage door by accident or someone may get hit by the door while it is operating. Other people also get injuries because they try to fix complicated garage door problems without seeking for professional help.
If you want to keep everybody in your family safe, here are some steps that you can follow:

• While the garage door is in motion whether it is closing or opening, it is important that you keep a safe distance from the fixture at all times. Sectional doors can catch fingers and even garments in between which can be very painful. Do not open or close forcibly when it is in motion to hasten the process. Allow the door opener and the mechanisms to do their jobs.
• Do not let your kids play anywhere near the door. The tendency with kids is that they like to hang and dangle themselves in these doors when they are about to open because they are hoisted above the ground. This can injure them.
• Replace your old garage door opener with a new one. Modern design has wonderful features and increased sensitivity for safety. Many openers today have photo sensors which use infrared lights to detect presence of a person or an item under the door. But even with the presence of photo sensors, it is necessary to not dock under the fixture while it is moving.
• If there are any repairs that need to be done, always seek for the help of professionals to assist you. Many homeowners who have no idea about garage door repair get injured especially with the springs. Do not do this task by yourself if you are not an expert.

Modern day garages do more than just safeguard your vehicles from the elements. They are functional and recreational spaces that can be designed and renovated in any way you want. Being natural extensions of your home, garage doors are also important elements that affect your home’s overall aesthetics. It is no wonder then that homeowners are investing their dollars and time towards choosing the right garage doors for their style and utility needs. Here are some latest residential garage door trends that are fast becoming popular with homeowners.

Enhancing curb appeal with striking garage door styles: Steel sectional doors have replaced slab-style doors of the past. People are going one step further to opt for sectional units with flush panel designs and full-view styles with windows. Windows allow natural light to seep in, and transform dark and gloomy garages into brighter and more appealing spaces during daytime. The emphasis is on contemporary and elegant lines, with most homeowners going the extra mile to complement the design of their garage doors to their homes’ architectural style.

Garage door materials: While steel doors have dominated the market owing to their availability and price, the popularity of wood, vinyl and fiberglass has spiked. If you still feel that stain-grade wooden garage doors are the best option, you can consider looking at the latest fiberglass units that offer the wooden feel of traditional doors. They come with steel reinforcements and insulation linings, offering years of service.

Insulated garage doors: An increasing number of homeowners are favoring insulated garage doors, and for good reason. They keep heat in during colder months and out during summers. Doors with high insulation or R.value offer energy savings, and can contribute to lower heating bills. Insulated garage doors also function as decent noise barriers. The good news is that there are many eye-catching insulated garage door designs to choose from.

Safety features in garage doors: Here, safety is in the context of garage door operation. Homeowners are looking at doors that incorporate multiple safety features. This includes pinch-resistant doors that push your fingers away when they are placed very near to a closing door, and protect against injuries. Tamper-resistant bottom brackets, on the other hand, lower the risks of injury arising from door components under tension. Garage doors with polyurethane insulation offer greater fire safety by reducing the amount of flames and smoke generated.

Explore your options, and zero in on a garage door style that perfectly matches your unique requirements.