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Safety 101: Everything you need to know about garage door safety

Most of us use the garage door every day. They’re powerful and heavy, so it’s essential that everyone who comes into contact with a garage door regularly is in the know about safe behaviour in the garage and safety maintenance.

 

Read below for our safety tips.

 

No action film sliding!

Despite how fun action films may make it look, garage doors are not toys; so it’s never okay to slide or roll under a closing garage door. It’s important that your kids understand they should never play with the garage door, and to keep all toys and play equipment a safe distance away from the door.

 

This tip goes for ‘big kids’ too. It’s easy to become complacent with safety basics like waiting for the door to close before you can open it again when you’ve accidentally closed or opened it. Always use the remote or keypad and never use your hand or foot to ‘trip’ the door opener.

 

Keep controls out of reach for wandering hands

Buttons can be tempting for curious kids with wandering hands. Ensure there are no accidental openings, or closings, by keeping wall-mounted buttons and remote controls out of reach for children.

 

Regular safety reversal checks

Each month, you should take a few minutes to perform a safety reversal check.

 

1.    Place a 40mm high object under the door (like a block of wood).

2.    Operate the door to come in contact with the object.

3.    Door should bounce back from the object in less than a second (or two seconds if safety beams are installed).

4.    If this does NOT occur, homeowners should contact Merlin on 1800 638 234.

 

Consider safety beams

Designed to prevent injury or damage to your vehicle, person or pet, safety beams stop your garage door from closing when the beam is obstructed or broken.

 

The Merlin Protector System (Safety IR Beams), can be easily installed by a Merlin dealer, and are the perfect additional feature to keep your family safe.

For more information about garage safety, contact your local Merlin dealer or our customer service team on 1800 638 234.