Garage Doors Dunwoody GA
How to Maintain your Garage Door in case of Garage Fires
Garage fires are the most unacknowledged, yet most deadly danger in homes. Garages are common on most American homes and by firefighter definition; Garages are any structure that houses automobiles or repairs. Cars are filled with flammable fluids. This isn’t including other potentially hazardous materials you may store in garage; cleaning products, aerosol cans, and lawn equipment. Most garages have become equipped with automatic doors. While this is a great convenience to homeowners, if not properly maintained it can seal your garage and trap a vital exit during fire or other disasters.
While this may sound like worst case scenario, people have no idea how often this exact scenario occurs. Go to google in a second tab, type in “garage fire news.” Click on the news tab. Around America at least three garage fire articles pop up everyday. Not so unreal is it? Taking proactive steps can prevent the worst case scenario. Garage doors Dunwoody GA maintenance is important; there is never a price on your life. Even if you just need advice seeking professional help will ensure your garage door is balanced, working, and can be defaulted to manual in case of an emergency. Ways you can check that your garage door is working:
- A monthly visual inspection
- Deactivating the automatic sensor and manually open the door
- Photo eye tests
- Mechanism tests
- Lubrication
- Monthly force setting
inspecting your garage door, hinges, springs, motors, sensors, and tracks can help you judge whether your door needs maintenance or replaced. If there is rust, cracking, or splitting, your door could be decaying. Having a well-cared for door will make it more accessible in the case of an emergency.
To check the balance of the door you can shut your garage door and deactivate it. Then manually try to open it. If you are able to smoothly lift the door and it stays in place, the door is balanced. If you feel resistance or it doesn’t stay up it may require rebalancing the door and tracks. During a fire, if the electronics fail or are fried, manually opening your door may be your only escape from the house. The metal may already have become too hot to touch. By leaving a piece of wood near the door such as a 2×4 you can use it to push your door up and escape to safety.
Mechanism tests test the sensors near the bottom of your garage door. Any garage door created after 1992 are fitted with these reverse sensors. If your garage door does not have this update, your door would be over 23 years old. Your door should be upgraded for safety and security. You can test this sensor by placing the same piece of 2×4 in the sensor’s way. If your garage door goes down and taps it and it goes back up, your sensor is working.
Photo eye sensors are installed with automatic sensors per Federal law of January 1993. These beams have the same safety sensor but raised 3 feet. To test them you can wave a broom stick into the sensor after you press your automatic garage door. This can save children’s’ lives, especially toddlers who are able to crawl.
Lubricating the doors hinges, tracks, and rollers will allow your door to move smoothly up and down.
Force setting is when your door is closing and you pull up on the frame. If the door does not start reversing immediately let it go. It requires immediate inspection and correction. This is best done by a trained professional due to the possibly of your door collapsing. This again, could save your life in the event of a fire. If anything in your garage caught and fire and your door was already closing you can trip the sensor to raise back up.
These are just a few tips that can save your life when faced with a garage fire. Professionals are able to advise how maintain, repair, and upgrade your doors. There is no price on your life, seek safety through quotes and regular service to your garage door.