In most houses, the largest moving object is a garage door. Newer garage doors are often operated remotely through radio controls, electrical systems, pulleys and motors.
Serious injury or death from being hit by a closing garage door or from being trapped under the door can occur if the garage door has been improperly adjusted garage door or automatic opener can exert deadly force when the door closes. For garage doors to operate safely and trouble free, proper installation, maintenance, operation and testing are necessary.
Garage door injuries can include caught, cut or crushed fingers or hands, and a garage door coming down on a person. Sadly, children are at high risk. These injuries happen due to access to garage door opening devices and they also can easily get trapped under a door that does not automatically reverse.
It is highly recommended that a safety reversal check is regularly done on existing garage doors to ensure the safe operation of the garage doors.
To do a safety reversal check you should:
- Place a block of wood (or similar object like roll of paper towels) 40mm high object under the door
- Close the door on top of the block of wood/object until it stops automatically
- The door should bounce back from the object in less than 0.75 of a second with less than 40kgs of force (or 2 seconds for safety beams). If it doesn’t, have it checked. A reputable garage installer should be contacted to service/repair or replace the door.
- Further maintenance should include a visual inspection of all the springs, rollers, pulleys, cables and track. Moving parts should be lubricated and the door should be balanced and not move (either opening or closing) when released from the locking mechanism.
- Also do not forget the red emergency cord. This is used to release the locking mechanism whenever you need to open the door during a power failure.
- Consult the owner’s manual for additional recommended maintenance for your models of door and opener. If you do not have an owner’s manual, look for the opener model number on the back of the power unit and request a manual from the manufacturer.
How can we help you?
During our inspections we will do a safety reversal check on the automatic garage door if installed and will also check that the door is generally balanced.
Buying a new home is an exciting time and the process can be fun if you do the right preparation. Contact your local Jim’s Building Inspector on 131 546 and they can help you through the process.
