June is Garage Door Safety Month

June is Garage Door Safety month. This time of year provides dealers the perfect  opportunity to talk to homeowners about the importance of keeping safe while in the garage and around the garage door which is often the home’s largest moving object. Talking with homeowners about garage door safety is also a great way to get back in front of customers to generate general service and new door sales.

Below are 10 safety tips to share with homeowners in your next customer newsletter.

1.      Make sure the garage door opener control button is out of the reach of small children.

2.     Do not let children play with garage door remote controls.

3.     Never place fingers between door sections. Explain the dangers to children and consider pinch-resistant door panels.

4.      Consult the garage door and opener owner’s manuals to learn how to use the garage door’s emergency release feature.

5.     Visually inspect the garage door each month. Look at springs, cables, rollers and pulleys for signs of wear. Do not attempt to remove, adjust or repair these parts or anything attached to them. These parts are under high tension and should only be fixed by a trained door repairman.

6.     Test the garage door opener’s reversing mechanism monthly by placing a 2×4 board in the door’s path. If the door does not reverse after contacting the object, call a qualified garage door professional for repair. If the opener has not been replaced since 1993, replace the garage door opener with a new one that has safety beams and auto-reverse as a standard feature.

7.     When leaving on vacation, unplug the garage door opener unit or use your wall console vacation lock security switch (an optional accessory on most openers) to render remotes unusable.

8.     Do not leave the garage door partially open. When activated again, it may travel downward and come in contact with an object in its path. This also compromises a home’s security.

9.     If the opener does not have rolling-code technology, be sure to change the manufacturer’s standard access codes on the opener and remote control, or consider investing in a newer model with rolling-code technology, which changes access codes each time the opener is used.

10. Never leave the remote control in the car when given to a parking attendant. A stolen remote leaves you more susceptible to home invasion. Always lock your car when left unattended. It’s a small inconvenience for safety and security.