Garage Door Safety Tips Homeowners NEED to Know

Each year, approximately 30,000 injuries are linked to garage door accidents—many involving children. That’s why, in recognition of Garage Door Safety Month, we’re taking a closer look inside the average homeowner’s garage. We'll walk through essential maintenance tips for key components, offer guidance on improving home security, and share practical advice to help keep children safe around garage doors.

Regular Inspection and Maintenance for Garage Systems

Overtime, even the best garage door system can break down or need repairs. That’s why it’s important to check a garage’s components to ensure everything is in working order. 

Consult the User Manual: 

A great way to know what to keep an eye on is by checking your owner's manual, which is specific to your garage door brand. The manual lists when and what parts need to be maintained, as well as the exact replacement parts to order when necessary. Don't have your manual on hand? Check out our extensive list here!

Check for Damage:

Inspect all garage door components like springs, cables, and rollers for damage or wear. This should be done roughly once a year for doors with average use (six times a day) to identify possible issues before they become a problem. If you use your door frequently, maintenance should happen more often.   

You should also have an ear out for any unusual sounds during a door system’s operation, as grinding, squeaking, or similar noises can indicate an issue. If the door or garage door opener is making more noise than usual it may be a good time to have a check- up.

Lubricate Regularly:

Regularly lubricate a garage door’s moving parts like its springs, rollers, and hinges. Lubricants reduce the friction between a garage’s parts that grind against each other when you operate your door, which helps to keep your system moving smoothly to prevent squeaking, overheating, rust corrosion and other damaging effects that cause premature failure. Our handy guide here can help you find the right lubricant for your garage system!

Garage Operators:

The garage door operator powers your garage system. Check, calibrate, and adjust the safety devices on the operator annually. The specifics can be found in your operator’s manual.

Check Battery Packs:

Depending on your garage setup, you may have devices like keypads, security cameras, garage door openers, and other components that run on batteries or include backup power. Keeping track of when you last replaced these batteries can help you avoid unexpected failures. This is especially important as summer approaches—power outages from seasonal storms can cut power to your garage, leaving it inoperable if the backup battery isn’t in good condition.

Security Cameras:

Periodically checking security cameras for any damage along with cleaning the lenses can help keep your family safe. Many newer models that contain SMART technology also have paid subscriptions where you can access additional security features, so be sure to double check that the subscription is still active.  

Weather Stripping:

Garage door vinyl and brush weather seals can be installed around a garage door to seal off the natural gaps in the door when closed. Properly working seals prevent debris, extreme weather, pests carrying diseases from entering your space, so check them often to ensure you’re keeping your valuables and health safe!  

Clean your vinyl weatherstripping seasonally with a rag and all-purpose cleaner to remove the buildup of dirt and debris. Once clean, check for any cracks, dents, or brittleness. If you spot an abnormal feature, it's likely time for a replacement.  

Brush seals that need to be replaced will have bristles that are falling out, are fragmented, or have a lack of consistency in the seal across the entire length of the door’s platform. Feeling drafts blow through the brush seal indicates it’s time for a replacement. You can check by taping a piece of paper around the sides or top of the door and watching for movement. Checking around a door following rain to see if liquid is getting through will also indicate a replacement is needed.

Safety Beyond Mechanics 

Garage safety extends beyond checking a system’s parts. It’s crucial to take children, security, and operation into account as well. 

Children:

In the United States between 1974 and 1995, at least 85 children died or suffered permanent brain damage in accidents involving automatic garage door openers. It’s important to supervise children around garages and never let them play with the remote or stand under a moving door. Check that your garage door remote is out of children’s reach and teach them not to stand, walk, or play under the door while it's moving. Luckily, the law requires garage door safety beams on every operator to protect against this exact issue, but it’s always a good idea to play it safe.

Security:

When it comes to protection against intruders, be sure to keep your door completely closed when you’re not around. Also consider covering garage door windows with curtains or film to prevent visibility from outside so thieves can’t see your valuables. You can also add security cameras, motion-detection floodlights, and smart locks for added protection. Newer operators have all of these features built in, so it may be time for an upgrade to help keep track of your family and keep them safe. 

Manual Operation:

Be sure to familiarize yourself with the manual operation of your garage door in case of power outages. Know how to disconnect the door from the opener using the emergency release cord, and be sure to check that the automatic reverse feature is working and will reverse the door if an obstruction is detected. Using a bucket or similar item is a great way to test the feature without endangering anyone!     

Garage doors may be a standard feature in modern homes, but that doesn’t mean they come without risks. Whether you're a first-time homeowner or have lived in your home for years, regular maintenance and attention to safety are essential. If you need to replace a worn-out part or are looking to upgrade your setup with added security features like cameras, explore our wide selection of trusted, name-brand products!