Garage Door Safety
A garage door is the largest moving object in most homes, often weighing hundreds of pounds. Doors that don’t reverse can trap children and pets, panels pinch fingers, and the springs that lift the door store enough energy to cause serious injuries when they break or are adjusted.
- Homeowners
Photo: homeowner testing a garage door’s auto-reverse by placing a 2x4 flat on the floor under the door
Test it every month
- Auto-reverse: lay a 2x4 board flat on the floor under the door and close it. The door should reverse when it touches the board.
- Photo eyes: while the door closes, wave an object through the beam near the floor. The door should stop and reverse.
- Balance: with the opener disconnected and the door closed, lift it halfway by hand. It should stay put. If it falls or rises, the springs need professional adjustment.
- Look for frayed cables, worn rollers and loose hardware.
If a door fails the reverse test, stop using the opener until it’s fixed. Openers made since the early 1990s must have auto-reverse safety features; very old openers should be replaced.
Springs and cables: call a pro
Torsion springs (above the door) and the cables attached to them are under extreme tension. Adjusting, replacing or removing them without the right tools and training can cause severe injuries. Hire a trained garage door technician.
Everyday safety
- Keep remotes out of reach of children, and mount wall buttons high.
- Teach kids not to play with or run under the door.
- Never walk or drive under a moving door.
- Keep fingers out of the joints between panels when closing a door by hand; use the handles.
- Use the emergency release cord only with the door fully closed when possible. If a spring is broken, an open door can drop suddenly when released.
Standards & references
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