Garage Door Safety

The garage door is typically the largest moving object in the home. Due to its size and complexity, it should be treated with caution and respect. Do not allow children to play near the door. Never stand under or walk through the doorway while the door is in motion. Red components are under Extreme Tension, removal could result in severe injury or death.

The following garage door parts can be dangerous.

Section Joints- The area between the garage door sections. NEVER place your fingers in the joints while the door is in motion.

Track- The component that hold the rollers that the door rides in. NEVER place your fingers in the track while the door is in motion.

Corner Brackets – The brackets that attach to the lower left & lower right corners of the door. These brackets hold the cables of the counterbalance system to the door. NEVER remove the corner brackets while they are under load.

Cable - The twisted wire that attaches from the brackets at the bottom of the door to the drums or springs at the top of the door. NEVER attempt to adjust, repair, or replace cables while they are under tension.

Springs- They counterbalance the weight of the garage door. There are 2 types:

Extension: Mounted above the horizontal track perpendicular to the closed garage door; they lift by stretching.

Torsion: Mounted above, parallel and horizontal to the top of the door; they lift by winding & unwinding.

Center bearing bracket - Holds the torsion spring shaft and is the fixed point for the torsion springs to rotate around.

 Drums – Cables attach to and wind onto & off of the drum when door is moving. NEVER place fingers around the drums, any operation of the door could get them caught by the cables.

All the parts associated with the counter balance system are under load and can be EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. They should ONLY be adjusted or repaired by a professional.

Tips

Check cables for fraying, as this is a sign of extended wear and possible future failure.

When operating manually, use handles or suitable gripping points to operate the door.

Following a proper maintenance schedule helps ensure that your door will safely last for years to come.

If a spring breaks on the counter balance system, the door will be extremely heavy and may take a few people to lift up.