Don't let your garage door spell disaster!
A garage door is basically a moving wall. As such, it is the largest moving object in your home and one of the objects with the greatest potential to injure a family member or damage property. Obviously, an improperly installed garage door system can exert tremendous force when the door closes. In fact, statistics have shown that over 30,000 people annually are injured by faulty garage door systems. Don't let an unnecessary accident happen to your family or friends; take this decision seriously and select a company with experience. Call us today!

Keep your children safe
Reports received by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), indicate many children between the ages of 2 and 14 have been trapped and killed under automatic garage doors. Other children have suffered brain damage or serious injuries when the closing door hit them, failing to stop and reverse its direction. Teach children to keep their hands and fingers clear of section joints, hinges, tracks, springs and other garage door parts. Contact with a moving garage door or its hardware could cause serious injury.

Precautions
A few simple precautions can protect your family and friends from potential harm. Please take a few minutes to read the following safety and maintenance tips. Garage doors can weigh as much as 1000 lbs and can cause serious injury or even death if proper care and maintenance are not exercised.

7 simple garage door safety tips

1. Never let a child play with or play around your garage door.
2. Never leave a child or disabled person alone near a garage door.
3. Teach your children about garage door safety. Never let them play with the garage door remote controls.
4. Check the rollers and cables for your garage door every month to ensure they are in good working order.
5. Never leave an automobile or personal property underneath an open garage door.
6. Call Precision Door Service for your annual 25 point safety inspection.
7. Keep the wall button out of the reach of children. The recommended height is at least 5 feet from the floor.

Take a few minutes to inspect and test your complete garage door system. Make monthly inspections and testing a part of your regular routine. Safety is everyone's business! Make garage door and garage door opener safety automatic in your home.

Call the location nearest you with additional questions or for information concerning the maintenance of your garage door and your garage door opener.

Review your garage door owner's manual. Perform routine maintenance steps once a month. If you do not have a manual, look for the manufacturer's name and model number on the back of the door or the lock handle. Request a manual from the manufacturer.

Visual Inspection
Look at the garage door springs, cables, rollers, pulleys, and other door hardware for signs of wear. Call us today if you suspect any problems.

Garage door springs and cables are under very high tension. If handled improperly, they can cause serious injury and death. Only a certified technician should adjust them.

Do not attempt to repair or adjust springs yourself!

A safety cable should be installed on all extension springs (the springs mounted above the track) to help contain a spring if it breaks.

Never remove, adjust, or loosen the screws on the bottom brackets of the door. These brackets are connected to the spring system by the lift cable and are under extreme tension.

Lubrication
Regularly lubricate the moving parts of the door with a silicon based spray only. However, do not lubricate plastic rollers and plastic idler bearings. Consult the garage door owner's manual for the manufacturer's recommendations.

Door Balance
Periodically test the balance of your garage door:

• Start with the door closed.
• If you have a garage door opener, use the release mechanism so you can operate the door by hand when doing this test.
• You should be able to lift the door smoothly and with little resistance. It should stay open around 3 or 4 feet above the floor. If it does not, it is out of adjustment. Have it adjusted by a certified technician.

Here's a video that demonstrates the proper way to do a Garage Door Balance Test

If you suspect a problem with your garage door, use the locator button on the right side of each page to find the location nearest you. If you do not have a Precision Door Service location in your area, please call a professional garage door technician immediately.

Opener Safety

Be cautious
Do not stand or walk under a moving garage door!
Do not let children or adults play "race the garage door". It is dangerous and can result in serious injury or death. Adults should set a good example. Know how to use the emergency release in case someone is pinned underneath the garage door.
Do not let children play with or use the garage door opener remote controls. Always place and store them out of the reach of children. The pushbutton control on the wall should be at least 5 feet from the floor and away from all moving parts. Mount and use the button where you can clearly see the moving garage door.

Garage door openers are not toys
Careless operation and allowing children to play with or use garage door opener controls can lead to tragic results. Discuss garage door safety with your children. Explain the dangers of being trapped under the door. Accidents frequently occur as a result of children "riding the door".

Testing and maintaining the garage door opener
There are routine safety and maintenance steps you should follow once a month. Review your owner's manual for the door opener. If you don't have the owner's manual, look for the opener model number on the back of the power unit and request a manual from the manufacturer.

Reversal test
Make sure your opener has a reversing feature. Garage door openers without this feature need to be replaced. Garage door openers manufactured after January 1,1993 are required by federal law to have advanced safety features which comply with the latest U.I.325 standards: Contact us for additional information.

Test the reversing feature every month

1. First, test the balance of the door (see "Testing and Maintaining the Garage Door" on the Door Safety page). If the door is properly balanced then proceed.
2. With the door fully open, place a roll of paper towels on the floor in the center of the door.
3. Push the remote control or wall button to close the door. The door must reverse when it strikes the roll of paper towels. (Note that the bottom part of "one-piece doors" must be rigid so that the door will not close without reversing).
4. If the door does not reverse, have a certified technician adjust, repair or replace the opener or door.

Force setting test
Test the force setting of your garage door opener by holding the bottom of the door as it closes. If the door does not reverse readily, the force may be excessive and need adjusting. See your owners manual for details on how to make the adjustment. Safely test the reversing feature after any adjustment.

• Door Balance
• Springs
• Rollers
• Cables
• Safety Cables
• Drums
• Center Bearing
• End Bearing Plate
• Pulleys
• Forks
• Shaft
• Hinges
• Brackets
• Tracks
• Hinge Arms
• Strut/ Truss Rod
• Spring Anchor
• Bottom Weather Seal
• Panel Condition

• Control Panel/ Remotes/ Keyless Entry
• Boom/ Trolley
• Safety Eyes
• Motor/ Gear
• Bellwire
• Safety Reverse/ Limit Switch

Call the location nearest you with additional questions or for information concerning the maintenance of your garage door and your garage door opener.

Right click and select 'Save As' to save to your computer

18 Point Safety Checklist
This safety checklist is to provide you, the customer, with the information needed to understand our recommendation to make your door more functional, safe, and properly balanced.

Garage Door Safety Flyer and New 25 Point Checklist
This provides tips and the information needed to understand our recommendation to make your door more functional, safe, and properly balanced.

International Door Association's Coloring Book
A fun way to teach children garage door safety.