Securing Your Home: The Ultimate Guide to Garage Door Safety

You most likely use your garage door all the time without thinking about it. Garage doors make our lives much easier, but can also be dangerous, especially for children and animals. Even with advancements in safety, garage doors remain a source of danger. An estimated 30,000 people are injured by garage doors each year.

Garage doors present several risks. First, they’re heavy. If a garage door closes on someone, it can result in severe injury and even death. The garage door can pinch someone as it moves up or down. An improperly functioning garage door has its own set of additional hazards.

Here, Action Garage Door Repair Specialists will show you ways to help keep you and your loved ones safe around your garage door.

Introduction to Garage Door Safety

Garage door safety isn’t something people commonly think about, but practicing it can help keep your family safe.

Risks Presented by Improperly Maintained or Malfunctioning Garage Doors

The risks associated with garage doors increase when they are not functioning correctly. The following includes a few examples. Please note that this list is not conclusive.

• A sensor that isn’t working properly may result in a garage door closing on someone or something
• A malfunctioning garage door opener may cause the door to open and close randomly. 
• If a spring or cable breaks, it could strike someone, and the garage door may abruptly fall.
• If garage door tracks are misaligned, the garage door may come off them, causing the door to fall.

Understanding Garage Door Mechanics

A garage door works by utilizing a counterbalance system to support its own weight. 

There are two main types of garage door systems:

The Torsion Spring System
The torsion spring system is the most prevalent garage door type. This system utilizes cables attached to each side of the bottom of the garage door. Above the door are torsion springs. When the garage door closes, the cables attached to the door wind up the springs, storing energy. The springs unwind as the garage door opens, and the energy is used to lift it.

The Extension Spring System
An extension spring system functions similarly to a torsion spring system. An extension spring system also has cables that attach to the bottom of the garage door. But unlike the torsion spring system, the extension spring system’s springs are attached to the cables at the bottom of the garage door. As the garage door closes, the springs get stretched out, storing energy. When the garage door opens, the springs release the energy, allowing the door to be lifted.

Important Parts of a Garage Door

Different parts have to function together for a garage door to work. The main parts of most garage doors include:

Hinges
Hinges hold the garage door panels together, allowing them to bend as the garage door opens or closes.

Tracks
Garage door tracks line each side of the door. They guide the garage door as it opens and closes.

Rollers
The garage door has rollers inside the tracks, enabling it to move up or down. The rollers consist of a metal rod and plastic, nylon, or steel wheels that need to be replaced periodically.

Springs
Generally, a garage door has a spring system to control its movement as it opens and closes. The spring system counterbalances the door’s weight and enables steady movement. If your door is manual, the spring system will make opening and closing it easier. 

Torsion and extension springs are the most common garage door spring system types. Torsion springs, known for their durability, are the most popular.

Cables
A garage door often has torsion cables along with springs. The cables connect to the garage door’s bottom sides to help keep the movement of the garage door balanced and even. Having cables makes it less likely that the springs will pull the garage door off balance or get pulled off the tracks.

Emergency Cords
If your garage door has an opener, it is vital to have an emergency cord for safety. The emergency cord dangles from the inside of a garage and is typically a bright color. Pulling it disengages the garage door opener’s system, and the garage door will stop opening or closing. By pulling the emergency cord, you turn your garage door into a manual garage door.

If the garage door malfunctions, the garage door opener isn’t working, or you’ve lost power, pulling the emergency cord can help.

Weather Seal
The weather seal goes along the bottom of the garage door. It helps keep out rain, drafts, and other outdoor elements and can also make your garage more energy-efficient.

Sensors
Garage door sensors, or “photo eyes,” are an essential safety feature of most garage doors. They project an invisible beam across the garage door’s opening, generally only slightly above the ground. When something comes across the beam’s path, a signal is sent that tells the garage door opener motor to stop closing. Generally, the garage door opener motor reverses, so the garage door opens back up.

Garage Door Opener
A garage door’s motor allows a garage door to move up and down with the push of a button.  

Garage Door Wear and Tear Signs to Watch For

It is essential to be aware of signs of garage door wear and tear. When you are alerted to wear and tear early on, you can take action to help keep your garage door safe to use and potentially prevent expensive repairs. 

The following are several signs to watch for. Please note that this list is not comprehensive.

Slow Garage Door Movement
If the garage door is moving slower than usual, it could indicate a problem.

Vibration
Vibration as a garage door opens or closes may indicate misalignment or possibly issues with cables or springs. You’ll want to contact a garage door professional.

Panel Misalignment 
Misaligned garage door panels may indicate a tension issue with the tracks or springs. If this occurs, contact a garage door professional.

Unusual or Excessive Noises 
Excessive or unusual noises coming from a garage door indicate a problem. The type of noise can be a clue as to what is wrong with the garage door.

Grinding or squeaking sounds may be caused by tracks and rollers that are not properly greased. Applying the proper grease may quiet it down. 

Ratling or loud popping noises may be the result of a screw, bolt, or nut becoming loose. Caution: Do NOT try to tighten any cable, roller, track, pulley, or spring hardware as it can be extremely dangerous. 

If you hear a sound coming from the garage door spring system, DO NOT try to repair it yourself. 

Trouble Opening or Closing the Door Manually
If you have difficulty manually opening or closing a garage door, it may indicate trouble with track alignment or spring tension. You’ll need to contact a garage door professional.

Regular Maintenance Practices

Regular maintenance can help your garage door keep functioning correctly. Maintenance should be conducted at least once a year, or more if needed.

The following are some maintenance practices you may be able to do yourself. Please note that if you are unsure how to do any of these, contact a garage door specialist.

Make Sure the Moving Parts are Lubricated 

Properly lubricating a garage door’s moving parts will help it to function properly and quietly. 

Types of Lubricants to Use
It is essential to use the correct type of lubricant for the situation. You should use lithium spray lubricant or high-quality silicone. 

Parts to Lubricate

• Rollers – While you’ll want to apply lubricant to the rollers, make sure none of the lubricant gets on the garage door’s tracks.
• Springs – Lightly spray your garage door springs, making sure all of the parts receive a thin layer of lubricant. 
• Hinges – Lubricate your garage door’s hinges. Be sure to pay extra attention to the pivot points. Be careful not to lubricate the plastic parts, as some lubricants may break down plastic over time.

Clean and Clear Tracks

The tracks that guide your garage door as it opens and closes are an important part of how well it functions. You can help them do their job by making sure both sides are clear of debris.

You can clean the track by whipping it down with a damp cloth. If the tracks are particularly dirty, you can try to use a solvent such as brake cleaner. If you do, be sure to allow for proper ventilation. After using the solvent, wipe down the tracks using a dry cloth. 

Tighten Hardware for the Ceiling Mounted Garage Door Opener and Hinges

Before you tighten the door panel hinges or ceiling mounted hardware, look to see if they are loose or out of place.

Hinges 
Inspect the hinges holding the different sections of the garage door together. If you come across loose ones, use a screwdriver or wrench to tighten them. Make sure you don’t over-tighten them, as you might strip a screw hole or damage the garage door hinge.

Ceiling Mounted Garage Door Opener
If you have a ceiling-mounted garage door opener and you can safely do so, inspect the mounting hardware such as brackets and screws. Tighten any loose screws or bolts.

Quarterly Safety Check

It is important to perform a quarterly garage door safety check. The following steps should be included:

Visual Inspection
Begin the quarterly safety check with a visual inspection. Check for signs of wear and tear on the garage door’s pulleys, springs, weather strips, and cables. Make sure the rollers are sitting flush on the tracks and have no obstructions. Check the rollers for signs of damage. If you notice something wrong, contact a garage door repair specialist as soon as possible. DO NOT attempt to repair the garage door yourself. Most of its parts are under intense pressure and trying to repair a garage door yourself can lead to severe injury and even death.

Test the Garage Door’s Automatic Reverse Function
Every automatic garage door made in the United States after January 1st, 1993, is legally required to have an automatic reverse function to protect people from being crushed by the garage door.

The following two tests determine whether a garage door’s automatic reverse function works correctly.

In order to test a garage door’s automatic reverse function, start by opening the door all the way. Place a roll of paper towels or a board on the spot on the garage floor where the door closes. If the garage door is functioning correctly, it will automatically stop and reverse when it contacts the roll of paper towels or board. 

For the next test, open the garage door. Push the button to begin closing your garage door. When the door is closing, use your hand to push up on the door to determine how much pressure it takes to reverse it. Contact a garage door professional immediately if the automatic reverse function isn’t working correctly. Be careful not to trap your hand underneath the garage door.

Make Sure the Garage Door is Correctly Balanced
A correctly balanced garage door is safer, better functioning, and longer lasting than an off-balance garage door. 

You can test your garage door to see if it is balanced by using the emergency release handle on your garage door, allowing you to control it manually. Lift up the garage door roughly three or four feet into the air then let go. If the garage door is well-balanced, it should open smoothly and remain partly open without falling down. A garage door that is difficult to open manually or won’t stay open is likely unbalanced. 

Test the Door Sensor
A functional garage door sensor is important for safety. It is important to test it regularly to ensure it is functioning.

1. Locate the two sensors on each side of the garage door.
2. Make sure the two sensors are aligned with each other. If they are correctly aligned, they should light up.
3. Close the garage door. As the garage door closes, wave an object in the beam’s path. Repeat this step in at least three different places.

If it isn’t working, contact a garage door specialist.

Maintenance and Repairs that Garage Door Professionals Must Handle 

While you may be able to perform some garage door maintenance yourself, some jobs need to be left to professionals. The following are a few examples.

Repairing Broken Springs
If your garage door has a broken spring, you’ll need to have it repaired by a garage door professional. It is crucial for safety that garage door springs are installed correctly. Working with garage door springs is dangerous.

Automatic Garage Door Opener Repairs
Because automatic garage door openers have many components, moving parts, and electronics, it is important to leave their maintenance and repair to professionals.

Damaged Wheels and Rollers
The wheels are crucial to your garage door’s functioning. If they break, your garage door may be unable to open or close. A garage door professional needs to be the one to replace damaged wheels, given the risks of damage, such as to the tracks.

Damaged Door Panels
Because of the weight of garage door panels and the difficulty involved, damaged door panels should be handled by garage door professionals.

Damaged Hardware
Repairing or replacing damaged hardware, such as hinges, should be left to professionals.

The Adjustment of Cables, Springs, and Pulleys
Because your garage door’s cables, springs, and pulleys are under a great deal of tension, adjusting them can be dangerous. If any of these components are loose, contact a professional to repair them.

Tightening Hardware for Track and Roller Brackets, Pulleys, Cables, and Springs
It is extremely dangerous to tighten hardware for track and roller brackets, pulleys, cables, and springs as these components are under pressure. Tightening these must be left to a professional.

Security Features and Upgrades

A number of safety features and upgrades have been created for garage doors. While you can’t make a garage door completely safe, these features and upgrades can help you migrate some of their inherent risks.

Common Garage Door Security Features

The following security features are common on modern garage doors.

Automatic Reversal
A garage door’s auto-reverse function senses when the door comes into contact with a person, animal, or object. It will then stop and reverse direction.

Be sure to test the automatic reversal system once a month to ensure it functions properly. You can conduct this test by placing a board or a roll of paper towels underneath the garage door and then closing it on it. If the automatic reversal does not activate, you must contact a garage door specialist to have it repaired. 

Photoelectric Sensors
Photoelectric sensors are positioned at each side of the base of the garage door, roughly six inches above the ground. These photoelectric sensors work by projecting an invisible infrared beam. If the beam senses an obstruction when the garage door is closing, it will stop and reverse direction.

If the photoelectric sensors aren’t set up or working incorrectly, they won’t be able to do their job.

Manual Release Control
A garage door’s manual release control is often a red handle attached to a rope dangling from the electric opening device. Disengaging a manual release (if it has a red handle and rope, this is done by pulling on it) allows the garage door to be moved manually. This will enable you to control your garage door if the power has gone out or someone is trapped under the door.

Pinch Resistant Panels
Some garage doors (particularly older models) have a space where panels fold together as the door closes, which presents a risk of hands or fingers getting caught. Children who are unaware of the danger are at particular risk. Some garage doors have pinch-resistant technology where the panels roll over each other, lessening the risk of a finger or hand getting caught. While it won’t be completely safe, it is much better than a garage door that isn’t pinch-resistant.

Garage Door Security Upgrades

Several garage door security upgrades are available. If you don’t already have these features, you may want to look into adding them.

Smart Garage Door Openers
Smart garage door openers provide the convenience of smart device connectivity. Some smart garage door openers offer alerts when a garage door is opened and some even come with video cameras.

Motion Sensing Lights
Motion-sensing lights can alert you to intruders and make life easier if you arrive home late at night or work in the garage after dark.

Backup Battery
If your home loses power, you could be stuck manually operating your garage door if it has that feature. If you can’t move it manually, you could find yourself faced with a garage door that is stuck open, making your garage door susceptible to intruders and the elements. 

Utilizing a backup battery lets you control your garage door even if power is out in the rest of your home.

Garage Door Safety Tips for Families

Even with modern advancements in safety, garage doors are still dangerous. Garage doors present a danger to the entire family, especially children and pets. The following garage door safety tips can help protect your family.

Teach Children to Keep Clear of Moving Garage Doors

Teaching your children early and frequently about the dangers garage doors present is important to help them stay safe around them. Instead of telling them the garage door itself is dangerous, tell them it is dangerous because of the risk of it closing on them or pinching their fingers. When children fully understand the dangers of a garage door, they are more likely to pay attention to directions. 

Keep Garage Door Openers Away from Children

Children love to play with objects, even when they know they are not supposed to. A child can endanger themselves if they get a hold of a garage door opener. Even if they can’t reach a wall-mounted control, they may still get a hold of a remote-controlled garage door opener. The garage door emergency release should also be kept out of the reach of children.

Children can put themselves at risk simply by being able to move a garage door up or down, as they may make games of trying to get under the door as it closes or attempt to “ride” the garage door up or down.

Keep the Door Between Your Garage Door and House Locked

Criminals often use garage doors to gain entry to homes. It’s usually easier for a criminal to get through a garage door than a front door. There’s also a possibility of a garage door being accidentally left open. By keeping the door to your house from your garage locked, you help protect your home. It pays to play it safe!

Set a Good Example

Not walking or ducking under the garage door as it closes helps set a good example for children.

Using the Garage Door’s Emergency Release

If your garage door stops working, you can take steps to open it manually.

Caution: Using a garage door’s emergency release when the door is open may cause it to fall to the ground, potentially causing injuries or property damage.

The following steps allow you to manually operate your garage door.

1. Make sure the garage door is closed.
2. Pull your garage door’s red dangling t-handle.
3. You can now open and close your garage door manually. Because the door can be heavy, care must be taken when using it this way.

Action Garage Door Services in Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, and Houston

Founded in 1984, Action Garage Door Repair Specialists has locations in Plano, Houston, Austin, and Fort Worth, Texas. We offer 24-hour emergency garage door repair. We’ve received many five-star reviews for our work and have an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau. 

We offer the following garage door services:

New Residential and Commercial Garage Door Installation

We install residential and commercial garage doors. We’ll help you select the garage door with the style that best fits your property.

Let our technicians install your home or business garage door the right way. Our selection of garage doors is functional, durable, and attractive. 

Residential and Commercial Garage Door Service and Repair

Whether your garage door is residential or commercial, it will require regular maintenance and occasional repairs. Our garage door technicians can determine the source of the issue and repair it correctly. 

We handle the following garage door repairs:

• Garage door opener repair
• Garage door cable repair
• Garage door track repair
• Garage door roller repair services
• Garage door spring repair
• Commercial garage door repair services 

How We Help Keep Your Garage Safe and Secure

Founded in 1984, Action Garage Door has helped over 400,000 customers with their garage door needs. We proudly serve residential and commercial customers in the Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, and Houston areas. We are proud to be an accredited member of the Better Business Bureau with an A+ rating. 

From installing your garage door correctly to regular garage door maintenance and repairs, we’ll use our experience with garage doors to help them function safely and securely. 

We also help to keep you and your family secure by screening our garage door technicians with a Texas Department of Public Safety background check. The technician will teach you step-by-step how to program your garage door’s remote control so you’ll be the only one who can use it.

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