How to Avoid Entrapment

Nobody nags about garage doors and their performance until something goes wrong and the door won't open or unexpectedly falls. Do you think this is odd? How unexpected is to see a door collapsing when it hasn't been maintained for years? Is it really a wonder that so many accidents still occur when a large number of sensors do not work? Someone would argue that this is the odd thing! Knowing the importance of the garage door opener sensors and still leave them unmaintained and broken.

It's discouraging that many people still believe that accidents happen only to others. This has little to do with someone's overall education or knowledge of technical matters and more about common sense and a deep appreciation of certain accessories for one's safety. It’s sad to hear about fatal accidents or entrapment under the door when there are ways to avoid them. Surely, some systems might have manufacturing mistakes but these are only a tiny fraction of the outrageous number of garage door accidents as shown in official statistics.

3 ways to avoid entrapment

• Maintenance, maintenance, maintenance. Don't forget the importance of services. Inspecting the electric garage system and all its parts and fixing what's wrong with them will ensure that the door will move properly. Even if few problems will require some garage door repairs, they won't be the cause of an accident.
• Check, repair, test, adjust and replace the sensors. The movement of the door starts when the electric garage door opener is activated and it's mainly controlled by the safety sensors. If the beams find anything in the door's way as it is descending, they'll automatically stop its movement and reverse it. High tech openers have sensors which reverse the door without having contact with an object or a person and upon contact.
  So, your kids will be safe even they do something foolish and pass under the overhead door at the last minute. So, don't forget to inspect the sensors' condition often and certainly adjust or even replace them if they malfunction.
• Learn how to use the release rope. For most openers, you just have to pull the cord down and to the direction of the opener. This will serve you when someone is trapped under the door or a scarf is trapped at one end and is choking someone and the power is off or the door is jammed and must be opened manually.