Your garage door is a great way to increase curb appeal and add security to the items you store. However, did you know that your garage door could pose safety issues? Without proper knowledge of functions and purpose, this large entryway could be dangerous if used improperly.

Many homeowners look past its many hazards. Don’t worry though, we’ll help you be prepared with our 10 garage door safety tips.

1. Monthly Inspections

It may seem simple, but one of the most important things you can do to prevent garage door related injuries is to perform monthly inspections. Take a look around the gears and cables to make sure everything is working properly.

You should also open and close your garage door a few times to ensure everything moves correctly. This will help you catch your garage door not opening and closing correctly or any other safety issues.

2. Keep Your Garage Door Opener’s Remote Away from Children

Kids are very curious when it comes to things they don’t understand. They’ll touch and play with something as a means of exploration. That isn’t a good idea when it comes to your garage door opener remote.

Parents should keep the remote for their garage door opener away from their children. They could cause serious injuries if they play with it. Explain to them that the remote isn’t a toy and they could accidentally hurt someone. This will help them understand how to help keep themselves and their family safe.

3. Open Your Garage Door Before Starting Your Car

You should never start your car before opening your garage door. Vehicles emit exhaust gas which is a mixture of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and other harmful components. Breathing it in is deadly.

Also, gas rises so everyone on the second story of your house is at risk. The simple solution is to open your door before you start your engine.

4. Never Leave Your Garage Door Opener in Your Car

When you’re out around town, would you ever leave your car keys in the car? Would you leave your house keys out in the open unattended for an extended period of time? Of course not, that’s silly. Well many homeowners do something very similar every day.

Your garage door opener remote is another key to your home. Yet many homeowners leave them out in the open in their car all day while they’re at work, school or running errands. Always keep your remote hidden so you don’t draw attention. Burglars look for easy targets. Don’t allow yourself to be victimized.

5. Watch Your Fingers Between Door Sections

If you have a garage door that opens manually, you have to be very careful with your fingers. If they get caught between door sections, you can get injured. Also, if you have children, let them know not to put their fingers between the door sections.

Your best bet to prevent these injuries is to use the door handle when opening your garage door. Don’t place your hands against the door while you’re opening or closing it. You can also get a garage door with panels that don’t pinch or an electric garage door opener.

6. Don’t Leave Your Garage Door Open

Leaving your garage door open, or even partially open, is a recipe for disaster. It defeats the purpose of getting a well-insulated garage door if you’re going to leave it open. That allows your heat or air to escape which will increase your utility bills.

Plus, we already know that burglars look for easy targets and nothing is easier than leaving an entryway open. It’s no different than leaving your front door unlocked.

Also, many animals will sneak into your home from an open garage door. During the colder Midwest months, many animals would love to stay in your warm home. Just close your garage all the way to prevent these unwanted guests from staying with you through the winter.

7. Never Go Under A Moving Garage Door

Never, under any circumstances, should you go under a closing garage door. The obvious danger is that you can get crushed. Yet many homeowners try to race the door down so they won’t have to walk around their house to get outside. The seconds saved aren’t worth risking your life.

The best analogy for this would be racing a train. If you’re about to cross train tracks and you see the gates coming down, you don’t speed up to try and beat the train. That’s asking for trouble.

If you need to leave your home through the garage, invest in a keypad opener. These are numerical pads located on the outside of your garage door. You can create a four to six-digit password that opens and closes your garage door from the outside.

To improve your garage’s safety, you should also have sensors installed. They create a beam that runs the length of your garage door. If the beam is ever broken, the garage door will stop closing and begin to open. This is perfect for families with children.

8. Use Vacation Mode on Your Garage Door Opener

When you go on vacation, you leave your home alone for a while. Rather than worrying about what could happen, you should take steps to prevent issues.

One precaution you can take is using your garage door opener’s vacation mode. Today, most openers come with this option. It renders your garage door opener remote unusable so people can’t use it to get inside. If your garage door opener doesn’t have a vacation mode option, you can always have it unplugged. It’ll lockdown your home until you return.

9. Test Your Garage Door Opener

Much like inspecting your garage door, you should be checking your garage door opener as well. Open and close your door, listening to how it sounds. Any weird or abnormal sounds could be a sign of an issue with your garage door opener.

Also, make sure all of the belts and gears are working properly. If your door feels heavy or opens at a slower speed, you'll need to replace your garage door opener or even the door itself.

10. Hire A Pro

Installing garage doors isn’t a typical DIY project. Even the most experienced handy homeowner should be wary. One small mistake could damage the door. It also puts you and your family at risk of injury. Do the smart thing and leave garage door installation to the professionals.

Conclusion

Your garage door can be dangerous if you don’t take the proper safety precautions. Inspecting and maintaining all parts of your garage door and garage door opener can prevent damage to your door and injuries to you and your family. With our 10 safety tips, you’ll reduce the risk of injuries and your garage door will withstand the test of time.