June Is Garage Door Safety Month

By Tony Hall

June is not only National Safety Month, but also National Garage Door Safety Month. During this month when it is weather-friendly, the garage door is used quite a bit to get to bikes, gardening equipment, sports equipment, outdoor furniture and other items that are often stored your home’s catch-all room. It is therefore a good time to make checks to ensure that the garage door is in perfect working condition.

How do I check my garage door for routine maintenance?

Balance: To check balance, shut the garage door and then pull the opener which will enable you to maneuver the door by hand. If the door is well balanced, you will be able to smoothly lift the door without any problem. Also, the door will remain open at least three or four feet off the floor.

Lubricate: Take the time to clean and lubricate all the moving parts of the door.  It will keep the door opening and closing smoothly. Do choose the right lubricants and not just all-purpose lubricants and grease.

Sensitivity: To test sensitivity, place a wooden chunk that is two inches thick or a wad of paper towels in the path of the door. Then, try to close the door. The door should immediately go back to the open position because of the obstructions in its path. If it doesn't, you should replace or adjust the opener. Do this immediately because it could be someone or a pet in the way which could leave them with serious injuries.

Safety reverse: It is a requirement of law that all automatic door openers have a safety reversing feature. This may be photo eyes, infrared sensors or other type of sensors. The sensors are installed near the floor on one of the sides of the garage door opening. Should there be an obstruction that interferes with the invisible laser beam, the garage door automatically reverses. If there is no safety reverse feature on your door, do get a new opener that has one installed.

No more than six: Related to this is the six inch rule. This is a rule about photo eyes which states that they cannot be installed more than six inches above the floor of the garage. This rule ensures that anything that is caught in the path of the garage door can be caught by the photo eyes.

Weather ready: It pays to be ready for weather changes. June is a good month to ensure insulation is in order and weather-proofing measures are taken ahead of the coming season of fall. Power outage is more common during the cold and wet months so it's advisable to back up the opener with a battery backup system to so you can open your door even if there is no power.

Who repairs and installs garage doors in the Amarillo, Texas area?

If you find that repairs are necessary, call in the experts to handle them. Amarillo garage door company, Willow Creek Overhead Door, will promptly respond to your call for repairs or install a new garage door for you. Contact owner Tony Hall today for a free repair or installation estimate.

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