Safety should be a top consideration when considering installation of an automatic garage door, especially if there are small children in the home. Unfortunately, there are records to indicate that children, between the ages of 2 and 14, have become trapped, injured, suffered severe brain damage, and even killed by automated garage doors closing on them and not retracting.
Automated garage doors installed today are required by law to have optic sensors that detect a person or object below the door, prompting it to automatically reverse. Older automatic garage doors that do not automatically reverse should be replaced with newer ones that possess this feature. Homeowners should regularly inspect their doors to ensure that they are operating correctly. Items to look for include a balanced door (it stays open when stopped in a partially open position), photocell sensitivity activating the auto-reverse feature, properly aligned tracks and functioning wall control. Also, check the door rollers and track for missing screws, unusual wear or loose connections.
If the door is out of balance, enough energy exists in the springs of the door to cause bodily damage. The photocells can be tested by placing an object to block their path, which should activate the door. Another good test of the automatic reversing feature is to put something directly in its path and attempt to close the door; the safety feature should signal the door to immediately bounce back up when coming into contact with an object.
If anything at all seems even slightly off with your automatic garage door, contact your local overhead garage door professional for a routine service and maintenance check. Without proper installation, maintenance and testing, automated garage doors cannot operate properly and run the risk of injuring children or pets.
