July 23, 2016

Is Your House’s Garage Door Opener Safe?

Safe door opener

The garage door is one of those things you don’t think about very often. You go to the garage in the morning, get in the car and go. Come home, you click a button, the door opens, you enter, that’s the end of it. Everyone takes it for granted that the garage door can open and close out any problems when they hit that button on the remote. Many people even use the garage door as the main entryway for their house, using the exterior keypad to get in when coming home from work or school, or after they been working in the yard.

It is important to keep in mind that the garage door is a large moving element. In fact, it is generally going to be the largest moving part of the house. When it doesn’t work correctly, it has the potential to be unsafe. Have you actually thought about the safety of your garage door lately? Most people don’t.

The following are several very simple but very important steps you will want to follow to make sure that your garage door is safe and your family does not have anything to worry about. It is a good idea to perform the steps at least two times each year. Most people want to perform them in the spring and then toward the end of the fall season.

The First Step: Inspect the Garage Door Visually

Beginning inside the garage, you want to look at the horizontal tracks to make sure they are parallel and do not tilt toward one another at all. You should also take the time to look at the hinges. Make sure that the screws are properly attached and are tight.

You should also look at the rollers. Make sure that the doors roll in the tracks rather than sliding. If they are in bad shape, it might be time to replace them.

Step Two: Deactivation of the Opener

Once you’ve completed the initial visual inspection, you’ll want to pull the emergency release cord. Most of the time, this cord is red. When you use this cord, it disconnects the garage door from the door opener. You then want to use the lift handle at the bottom of the door or on the second section of the door to open it. Make note of how difficult it was to lift. If the doors balance properly and are in good condition, it’s only going to weigh between eight and ten pounds. This is because the spring system will serve as a counterweight. If you notice that the door feels quite a bit heavier, it’s a good chance that there is a problem with the spring system and it needs to be replaced.

Keep in mind that the doors have the potential to be very dangerous. If they’re not properly maintained, they can create a serious safety hazard. In some cases, they could cause crushing injuries or even death. While pets and children are often at a higher risk even adults can be in danger.

Step Three: The Reversal

Next, you want to reconnect the door to the opener. Then, you’ll want to use your remote to open the door.

Door openers that were made after 1986 include two different safety systems. One of these is photoelectric and the other mechanical. For all of those openers made before 1986, there is only one reversal system – the mechanical one. Let’s learn how to test each of the systems.

Testing the Mechanical System

To test the mechanical system, you will place a piece of wood on the area where the door comes down and meets the floor. You then press the button on the control to close the door. When the door hits the piece of wood, it should reverse direction. If the door continues to close on the piece of wood, it indicates that there is a problem with the mechanism that controls the door’s descent.

Testing the Photoelectric System

The electric system is comprised of two units placed on each side of the door. They tend to be between four to five inches from the ground. When the door is open, stand near it and press the button to lower the door. While it is lowering put one of your feet in front of the electric sensors. Keep in mind that this beam is going to be invisible you need to put your foot in the general direction where it should cross. As long as the full electric system is working properly, the door should stop and reverse direction very quickly.

If it is not working properly, a number of different things could be wrong with the system. It could be that the beam is not aligned properly, that a wire is cut, or that one of the sensors is not working correctly.

Step 4: Lubricating the Door

Those who have chain driven door openers will want to add petroleum-based oil to the chain. Wipe off any excess. Be sure to add some white grease to the gear and sprocket assembly on both ends of the trolley.

Those who have newer drive openers do not need to add any lubrication. The reason they do not need lubrication is because during installation, the installer will have added enough grease to ensure that the doors opening properly for many years. Those who have a very old door may need to have a professional lubricate it.

Be Careful with the Door Opener

Anyone who uses the door needs to be very careful. No children using the remote control for the door should do so unless they are in your presence. Small children should not use the control panel to access the garage door either. To help prevent this from happening, please at least five feet from the ground.

Always tell kids to stand away from the door when it is opening, make sure they understand how important it is not to let the access code get out, even to their friends. It is always better to be safe than sorry. Check out the this video here, when we explain the basic garage door safety rules. In addition, you can visit the web site: www.garagedoorcare.com.

When you need some accessories, or just an annual maintenance check-up, you can click here to get a free quote, or click here to start by building your perfect garage door! You can also call us at 508-563-5633.

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