Instructions for Garage Door Safety and Maintenance
Keeping your home secure and your family safe is of utmost importance, and this extends to the garage. Here are some essential tips to help you ensure your garage is as secure as possible and to prevent any potential accidents.
Garage Door Safety
- Secure any side doors with deadbolt locks, ideally with reinforced strike plates. This simple measure can deter burglars and prevent unauthorised access.
- Never stand underneath a moving garage door, and always wait for it to come to a complete stop before going underneath. Crushing hazards are more dangerous than finger injuries in garage doors.
- Keep garage door remotes out of reach of young children and restrict them from playing in or around the garage doorway.
- Never leave your garage door open, as it serves as an open invitation to thieves.
- If you have a manual garage door, make sure it has a locking handle.
- Treat your remote automatic garage door opener like a key by clipping it on to your keychain and carrying it on your person.
- Don't keep your remote automatic garage door openers in your car, as they can be targets for theft.
- To prevent burglars from accessing the emergency release cord, zip tie it together so it's unreachable from the outside.
- Keeping your garage neat and tidy can help eliminate garage incidents.
Garage Door Security
- Visible security cameras and motion-activated lights near garage doors and windows can help deter burglars.
- An alarm system will usually scare off burglars tampering with any entry points.
- Automatic garage doors that deadbolt your garage door whenever it closes are particularly theft resistant.
- Burglars often target garages when looking to steal from homes. Be vigilant and secure your garage as you would your home.
Choosing the Right Garage Door
When it comes to choosing the right garage door for your Australian home, there are several options to consider.
Roll-Up (Rolling) Garage Doors
- Advantages: Space-saving, wind-rated versions for cyclone-prone regions, robust, and suitable for both residential and commercial properties.
- Disadvantages: Less traditional look, repairs or replacements of the rolling mechanism can be complex and costly.
Tilt Garage Doors
- Advantages: Simple, classic design, usually one single panel, making it straightforward and economical.
- Disadvantages: Requires more space outside the garage to open, not suitable for garages with restricted head or driveway space, and less secure without additional locking mechanisms.
Panel (Sectional) Garage Doors
- Advantages: Made of multiple horizontal panels that slide up and overhead without swinging out, sturdy and reliable, often constructed from COLORBOND steel, providing excellent durability and weather resistance.
- Disadvantages: Typically more expensive, installation and repairs can be more complex due to the sectional design and hardware.
In summary, for Australian homes: roll-up doors are best where space and wind rating are priorities; tilt doors suit those wanting simple, classic designs but only where outdoor clearance allows; and panel/sectional doors offer a secure, durable, and space-efficient solution with good insulation and wind resistance options.
For more information on garage doors and their features, consider consulting a professional garage door supplier, such as B&D.
Remember, regular maintenance and servicing of your garage door every one to two years is crucial to ensure its longevity and safety. Signs that your garage door needs maintenance or repair include loud noises, jerky movements, jamming, or running fast on the way down and slow on the way up.
Stay safe and secure, and enjoy peace of mind knowing your garage is well protected.
[1] B&D Garage Doors, "Garage Doors," https://www.bandd.com.au/garage-doors [2] "Garage Door Safety," Kidsafe Victoria, https://www.kidsafevictoria.com.au/safety-topics/garage-doors/ [3] "Garage Doors," Better Homes and Gardens, https://www.bhg.com/home-improvement/garage/garage-doors/
- Maintaining a neat and tidy garage can help eliminate potential accidents and garage incidents, thus contributing positively to both home-and-garden and lifestyle.
- When choosing a garage door for your home, consider the different options such as roll-up, tilt, or panel doors, as each has unique advantages and disadvantages, thereby influencing your home-improvement decisions.
