Child Safety Features: Protecting Your Family

2023-12-28 7 min read

# Child Safety Features: Protecting Your Family

Garage doors are among the largest and heaviest moving objects in any home. A standard two-car garage door can weigh 300-400 pounds, and when in motion, it represents a significant safety concern.especially for children. Understanding and implementing proper safety features isn't optional; it's essential for protecting your family.

The Reality of Garage Door Accidents

Each year, approximately 30,000 people are injured by garage doors in the United States, with many of those injuries occurring to children. These accidents are almost always preventable with proper safety features and education.

The most common types of garage door injuries include:

- Fingers caught between door sections, Being struck by a closing door, Entanglement with extension springs, Contact with moving parts

The good news? Modern safety features and proper maintenance can virtually eliminate these risks.

Essential Safety Features Every Garage Door Should Have

1. Photo Eye Sensors (Required by Law)

Photo eye sensors are mounted on either side of your garage door opening, about 6 inches from the floor. They project an invisible infrared beam across the doorway. If anything.a child, pet, bicycle, or toy.breaks this beam while the door is closing, the door immediately reverses direction.

Important: Clean the sensor lenses regularly (monthly is ideal) and test the system weekly by waving an object through the beam while the door is closing. The door should reverse instantly.

Signs of Sensor Problems: - Door won't close at all, Door reverses for no apparent reason, Sensor lights are blinking or off, Door closes partway then reverses

2. Auto-Reverse Mechanism (Also Required)

This feature uses the opener's motor to detect resistance when the door contacts an object. If the door encounters something while closing, it should stop and reverse immediately.

Testing the Auto-Reverse: 1. Place a 2x4 flat on the ground in the door's path 2. Close the door using the opener 3. When the door contacts the wood, it should reverse within 2 seconds 4. If it doesn't, the force settings need adjustment

Never adjust force settings yourself.improper settings can defeat this crucial safety feature. Call a professional.

3. Emergency Release Handle

Every electric garage door opener includes a red emergency release cord hanging from the track. This allows manual operation of the door if: - Power fails, The opener malfunctions, Someone is trapped inside

Teach all family members (old enough to understand) how to use this release. Practice occasionally so the motion becomes familiar.

Safety Note: The emergency release should only be used when the door is in the closed position. Releasing a door while it's open can cause it to crash down unexpectedly.

4. Pinch-Resistant Panels

Modern garage doors feature panels designed to prevent fingers from being caught between sections as the door moves. The sections have small gaps and curved edges that push fingers away rather than trapping them.

If your door is older and doesn't have this feature, consider upgrading. The cost is modest compared to the protection it provides.

5. Tamper-Resistant Brackets

The bottom brackets on a garage door are under extreme tension from the lifting cables. On modern doors, these brackets are designed so they cannot be loosened without specialized tools, preventing well-meaning homeowners from accidentally releasing dangerous tension.

Never attempt to adjust bottom brackets yourself. The cables attached to them are under hundreds of pounds of tension.

Additional Safety Measures

Wall-Mounted Control Placement

The wall-mounted door control should be: - At least 5 feet above the floor (out of children's reach) - In a location with clear view of the door, Far enough from the door that you can't touch the door while pressing the button

Remote Control Security

Treat garage door remotes like house keys. They provide access to your home: - Don't leave remotes in vehicles parked outside, Consider a keychain remote you keep with you, Use rolling code technology (standard on modern openers) - Program your vehicle's HomeLink system instead of carrying a separate remote

Educate Your Children

Even with all safety features working, education is crucial. Teach children:

- The garage door is not a toy, Never race the door when it's moving, Never play near the door or tracks, Never touch the tracks, springs, or cables, Always wait for the door to stop completely before walking through, The remote control is not a toy, Never share the keypad code with friends

Regular Maintenance

Safety features only work when they're functioning properly. Monthly maintenance should include:

- Testing photo eyes with an object, Testing auto-reverse with a 2x4, Visual inspection of springs and cables, Listening for unusual sounds during operation, Checking that all mounting hardware is tight

When to Upgrade Your Safety Features

Consider upgrading if:

- Your opener was manufactured before 1993, Photo eye sensors are missing or not working properly, The auto-reverse doesn't function correctly, Your door panels don't have pinch-resistant design, The emergency release is missing or broken, Your opener lacks rolling code technology

The Peace of Mind of Professional Assessment

If you're unsure about your garage door's safety features, or if it's been more than a year since a professional inspection, schedule a safety assessment. Our technicians will evaluate every safety system and bring your door up to current standards if needed.

At Redmond Garage Doors, family safety is our priority. We offer free safety inspections and can help ensure your garage door is as safe as possible for every member of your household.including the smallest ones.

Conclusion

Garage door safety isn't complicated, but it does require attention. Modern safety features, regular maintenance, and proper education can prevent virtually all garage door accidents. Take a few minutes this week to test your door's safety systems and talk to your children about garage door safety. It's a small investment of time that protects what matters most.

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