For every home, a garage door serves more purpose than one, making lives easy and convenient. Homeowners often don’t pay heed to the fact that garage doors can be unsafe if not used carefully. The fact that they cause around 30,000 injuries and several casualties every year is enough to consider them as a hazard. A garage door is one of the heftiest moving objects in a home, weighing over a hundred pounds; therefore, it is essential to be conscious of its dangers. Most garage door injuries occur either due to the carelessness and thoughtless actions of the victim or the malfunctioning of the door.
It is vital to not only be aware of the potential dangers posed by a garage door but also the ways to avoid it, helping to ensure the safety of yourself and the family.
Though modern garage doors come with sensors and other technologically advanced features that make them a lot safer, injuries caused by a lowering garage door are still very prevalent. It can happen when you try to run underneath the garage door while it opens or closes, or some component or feature of the door malfunctions. Either way, it can seriously injure you and the fellow passengers and damage the car.
The best way to avoid it is to stay away and never duck under the door when it operates. Educate family members, especially children, about the operating techniques, precautionary measures, and the potential danger or injury that may occur if they are careless with the garage door. Also, get the door regularly inspected by a garage door service and repair specialist to ensure that all the parts are working.
It is another common cause of garage door injury, which is easily avoidable. Getting the fingers caught in the tracks is not only painful but can also result in broken bones and amputation, owing to the heavy weight of the door.
To avoid accidental trapping, keep both fingers and toes away from an opening or closing garage door.
A garage door has many components that aid in its smooth operation. If the door’s springs are old, outdated, loose, or cracked, it will lead to total operation failure, leaving you locked in the garage. If you stay stuck for long in an unattached garage, it can cause dehydration and other problems.
Get a professional to regularly inspect the springs and repair or replace them as needed to ensure the springs are in good condition.
Many garage door injuries can be easily avoided just by being a little cautious. Make sure that the door is installed correctly, and call a professional to carry out regular garage door maintenance.
