Your garage door is an important part of the outside of your home. It serves several purposes, from boosting your curb appeal to storing your vehicles to being used as your front door. That is why it is so important to keep in mind safety when it comes to your garage door. Both safety for you and your family so you don’t get hurt and safety so no one breaks into your home through your garage are both important. That is why we want to go over both safety tips for you and your family using the garage door and how your garage door can help keep you safe from thieves and burglars outside.
Garage Door Safety Tips For You and Your Family.
Your Children.
Children can be curious and inquisitive. Educate your children about what the garage door does, what its basic components are, and the dangers of those components. Never let them play right close to the open garage door, just in case it comes crashing down by accident. Educating your children about garage door safety, then reinforcing that education is the best defense against injured children.
Emergency Release.
Your garage door should have a red cord that you move the garage door manually. This needs to be shown to everyone in the family, and each should be shown how to use it. This could be important during a power outage or even a house fire where you need to get out through the garage and the opener is not working.
Garage Door Safety Sensors.
Your garage door has sensors that help keep your garage door from coming down on top of anything right below it. These are called garage door safety sensors or also known as garage door photosensors. These are a very important part of your garage door system that keeps you and your family safe. The safety sensors should be within 6 inches of the ground and pointed at each other. If you find they may not be working correctly, read Troubleshooting Your Garage Door Safety Sensors.
Garage Door Maintenance and Repairs
Always keep watch on how your garage door is operating. Inspect your garage door and perform basic maintenance on your garage door twice a year. If you find an issue with your garage door, unless you are used to home maintenance, it is best to have a professional garage door expert do your garage door repairs. Parts like the garage door springs are under a lot of tension and could cause serious harm if worked on improperly.
Garage Door Saftey Tips Against Thieves and Burglars.
Inspect your Garage Door.
From time to time you should inspect your garage door. Look for gaps between the window and the frame of your garage door. You also want to look for gaps between the garage door and the weather stripping as well. The reason you want to look for gaps is that these are places thieves can use a crowbar on your garage door or garage door window. One of the best times to inspect your garage door is when you are performing maintenance on your garage door.
Secure Your Emergency Garage Door Release.
Yes, that red cord that you can use to manually open your garage door is good to have in case your opener quits. Yet left dangling free, a thief can use it against you as well. A thief can reach that cord from the outside and lift that garage door. There is a quick fix for this that still allows you to be able to use It in case of an emergency. Secure the cord with zip ties. If an emergency comes up where you need to use the cord, you can cut or break the zip ties.
Never Leave Your Garage Door Open.
This sounds like common sense and in truth, it is. Yet in our busy lives, especially here in the Houston area, it is easier said than done. It is actually one of the top ways a burglar gets into the garage. That is because it is the path of least resistance if someone is looking for garages and homes to break into. If you have a habit of leaving the garage door open, there are apps that can help to remind you your garage door is open. We suggest the MyQ app that works with most garage door openers. It lets you close your garage door from wherever you are, and lets you know when the last time it was open and for how long.
Consider Frosting or Covering Your Garage Door Windows.
If someone is snooping around looking for something worth breaking into a garage for, it is hard to do that if they cannot see through the window of your garage. You can cover your windows by using curtains, frosting your windows or even use tinting. You also get the benefit of helping your energy cost as well by controlling how much light comes through your garage door window. Covering your garage door windows is something that has multiple benefits.
Installing Motion Activated Lights.
Lighting that turns on when someone approaches your driveway and garage door is convenient for you and provides an added layer of safety in case someone is prowling around. No thief wants the light shined on them when they want to break in.
Get a Garage Door Opener That Has a Built-In Video Camera.
LiftMaster has now come out with The Smart Garage Camera™. The built-in Wi-Fi® allows for smartphone control with myQ® App bypassing the need to buy a separate camera. This camera enables you to see what’s happening in the garage and has two-way communication, so you chat with someone in the garage. The camera will automatically start recording when your garage door has been opened or moved.
Install an Alarm System on Your Garage Door.
Just like there are magnetic alarm systems that detect motion on windows, there are alarm systems that do the same for garage doors. For many, simply mount the sensor to the inside of an overhead door near its bottom and then pair the sensor. This will deter a thief if they try to open your garage by sounding an alarm if they try to lift the armed garage door.
Use a Side Lock.
If you are going away for a longer period of time such as a vacation or business trip, consider installing a manual side lock. This type of lock cannot be unlocked with a remote and requires you to manually unlock with your key in hand.
Hide Your Garage Door Remote.
When you park your car for work or shopping, do not leave your remote visible where a thief can look in and see it. If they see it, it is possible they will want to break into the car and grab the remote. They can take one look at an insurance slip sitting in the glove box to find out exactly where you live. From there, it’s just as simple as going to your home while you are not there and letting themselves into your garage.
Change Your Code.
If you have used the same code for a while, a thief might be able to ferret out what that code is by the wear patterns on the buttons. Or it might be possible someone might have seen you put in the code. As a general practice, it is good to change your garage door opener code on a regular basis. We suggest about every 6 months.
Find your garage door or garage door opener has been compromised or damaged? Spectrum Overhead Door LLC has been serving the Houston area since 2006 with exceptional garage door repair service. We have satisfied hundreds of customers by building long-term relationships and treating each customer with dignity and respect while giving great service. Call 281-748-9542 to get a FREE QUOTE on your garage door repair needs today!
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