Remote-controlled garage doors have been commonplace since the 1970s, but they’ve changed a lot since the era of bell bottoms and disco. Safety features, in particular, have come a long way. It’s easy to overlook these essential elements of modern garage doors, but homeowners should be aware of the available features and how to use them.
Garage Door Safety for Your Family
Many garage door safety features are geared toward preventing accidents or harm to you and your family. You can check your owner’s manual to see the features of your door and how to use them. You can also contact your local garage door installation or repair company for more information if needed.
Common garage door safety features include:
- Auto Reverse: If there’s an obstacle in the way when your door is closing, it will automatically stop and reverse direction. This helps prevent injury, property damage, and damage to your door.
- Manual Release Handle: Having a garage door that’s automatically raised and lowered is great—except when there’s a power outage or mechanical issue. A manual release handle, located on the inside of the garage door, allows you to manually open the door. Not only is this a matter of convenience and functionality, but it’s also essential in case you and your family need to leave in an emergency.
- Emergency Release Lock: You might also need manual access to your garage from the other direction. The emergency release lock lets you disconnect the garage door from the opener and manually open the door from the outside. In case of emergency, you’ll be able to get into your garage even if the opener or automatic door mechanism isn’t working.
- Pinch-Resistant Panels: Garage doors can weigh between 100 and 200 pounds on average, and use a great deal of force to move up and down. Pinch-resistant panels help protect you and your family from accidentally pinching a finger in the door as it moves.
Spotlight on Security
Your garage should be a safe place to park your cars and store personal belongings. It should also keep your family safe from intruders. That’s why modern garage doors feature several security-focused safety features such as:
- Reinforced Backing: Gone are the days of flimsy garage doors. Modern doors can be equipped with steel or aluminum backing to prevent forced entry. As a bonus, this additional layer can also improve durability and insulation.
- Motion Detectors: Some garage doors feature integrated motion detectors. If the sensor detects motion near the door, a light will illuminate. This deters intruders and helps homeowners see more easily when arriving home when it’s dark outside.
- Rolling Code Technology: As remote and keyless entry has become common, thieves and bad actors have found ways to steal access codes. Rolling code technology prevents this theft. Each time you click your garage door opener, the system uses that code, discards it, and generates a new code that will be used the next time you click the opener. This prevents anyone from stealing the code and accessing your garage space illegally.
If you’re in Heathvillle or the area and are looking for a new garage door with updated security features—or if you want to better understand the features you have—call Easy Open Garage Doors, LLC, today. Our team of garage door installation and repair specialists are here to help! At Easy Open Garage Doors, LLC, we always put our customers first. That’s why we offer convenient appointments throughout the week and 24/7 emergency service. Easy Open Garage Doors, LLC—Because Life Is Hard Enough!
