Children enjoy playing in garages. The garage has hiding places, counters to climb on, power tools, and open containers. However, accidents can result from what seems like harmless fun.
If you have children, it’s a good idea to childproof your garage door for safety. Trust Garage Door Medics, your go-to Boise garage door repair company, when your garage door needs safety checks, new equipment, or routine maintenance. Our experts have assembled the following 11 tips to childproof your garage.
1. Keep Garage Door Openers Away From Children
Many homeowners have wall panels and remote controls for opening and closing their garage doors. Anything with buttons appeals to children, and garage door remotes may seem like toys to them. It’s important to keep remotes out of reach and away from children.
Ensure the wall panel controls remain high so children cannot open the garage door and wander out of the house. Childproofing the garage door will restrict a child’s play to the safe areas under your supervision within the home.
2. Install a Self-locking Secure Door To Prevent Access
If you want to childproof your garage door, install a secure door with a lock that your child cannot open. Getting groceries from the car to the house may seem like a hassle, but it will keep your kids from going into the garage. Another option involves installing a self-locking Dutch door so you can stop worrying about children sneaking into the garage.
3. Educate Children on the Dangers of Garage Doors
Children should not enter the garage without permission. The same applies to opening and closing your garage door. Children need to understand that garage doors can cause serious injuries.
Teach your children about garage door safety by demonstrating the doors closing and opening. Tell them not to enter or leave until the garage door fully opens or closes. Most children should learn how to use the remote controls responsibly as they grow older.
4. Inspect Your Garage Door Regularly
Properly inspect your garage door and opener twice a year. Check all moving parts, including the springs, cables, hinges, and tracks. Remove dirt and debris from the garage door’s frame and lubricate the moving parts.
Keep an eye out for unusual scraping or squeaking, and ensure the garage door mechanism works. Test the garage door’s path manually without using the remote control. To prevent future accidents, check that the garage door sensors remain operational.
Finally, check the garage door for cracks and dents. Small cracks can expand over time and compromise your garage door. Also, test for childproofing to ensure your children cannot gain access to the garage.
5. Buy a High-quality Garage Door
New technologies have made garage doors safer and more secure. Despite the advances in smart technology, child safety remains a priority. Before considering your child’s safety, you must evaluate your garage door’s condition.
Always buy a good-quality garage door to avoid risking your family’s safety. Do not proceed with the cheapest garage door option if you need a replacement. Low-quality garage doors can break, malfunction, or have faulty sensors that can fail to detect children, pets, or other obstructions.
6. Get a Safe-T-Beam Garage Door Opener
A Safe-T-Beam garage door opener offers maximum safety. These systems use an infrared beam to childproof your garage door and display a light in case of a malfunction. The garage door will automatically stop and reverse if it detects small children running through the beam.
7. Check the Reverse Safety System
Garage door openers with contact reverse systems can detect obstructions. The garage door will automatically reverse open if it senses a child or object under the door. Roll a ball to test whether your garage door reverses without contact.
8. Seal Gaps for Child Safety
Children love crawling and hiding in tight spaces. Children may try squeezing their hands through the gaps in the garage door. A garage door with gaps caused by dents, broken, or stretched springs requires immediate repair.
In addition to keeping all other garage door parts in good shape, install rubber seals to enhance child safety and prevent accidents.
9. Secure and Stow Away Items
Stow away harmful and dangerous substances in your garage. Keep lighters, wiper fluid, gasoline, and antifreeze in a secure cabinet. Place other items such as power tools, screws, and nails out of sight and reach.
Make a habit of cleaning any spills in your garage. Clean surfaces can prevent exposing your children to harmful chemicals or accidentally slipping on wet surfaces. Also, keep laundry pods away because young children think the pods look like candy.
10. Secure All Vehicles in Your Garage
If you leave your keys in the car, you risk putting your children in danger. A child attempting to drive the car can run into the garage door or fill the garage with exhaust fumes. Keep your car keys away from your children by taking them out of the ignition and hanging them in a safe place.
Remember to lock your car’s doors and trunk to prevent children from climbing inside. For better safety, consider adding a rearview camera to look behind the vehicle before reversing out of the garage.
11. Keep Your Children Safe
The garage is an important part of your home. Even though garage doors pose a danger to your children, taking precautions can relieve your worries. Childproofing your garage door will ensure the safety of your children.
Start by reviewing the above safety factors to help prevent injuries and promote a safe environment. Explain the dangers surrounding the garage and ensure your children understand them. Stay vigilant by performing regular safety checks to keep your garage secure.
Hire a Professional Who Understands Garage Door Safety
Garage Door Medics provides expert garage repair, maintenance, and installation. Our trained technicians can childproof your garage door to prevent accidents and keep your family safe. We have over 30 years of experience and can handle any job.
Check how much you know about garage door fundamentals, then contact Garage Door Medics for all your garage services. Call us at (888) 997-2423.
