Your pets are an inseparable part of your family, so you'll do anything to keep them safe from harm. Unfortunately, it's easy to ignore the dangers a garage door can pose for the average pet. A sudden garage door failure caused by long-term neglect or a lapse in judgment can seriously injure an unwary pet. To prevent injuries or worse from happening, consider these crucial safety tips.
Test Your Safety Systems Frequently
Nearly every garage door comes with a set of safety features to prevent serious injury to people and pets. These features include photo eye sensors that detect obstacles in the garage door's path. These sensors are prone to dirt and debris buildup over time, plus they can be knocked out of adjustment accidentally. You should test your photo eye sensors monthly to ensure they work properly.
Most garage doors also come with an automatic reversing mechanism. True to its name, this crucial safety feature automatically reverses your garage door's direction if there are any obstacles detected across the door's threshold.
Test your automatic reversing mechanism on a monthly basis to ensure it functions properly. Have your garage door technician take a closer look at the system if you run into any problems during testing.
Don't Leave Your Garage Door Cracked
Certain bad habits can make your garage door dangerous for your pets. One such habit involves leaving your garage door cracked so your pets can come and go as they please. Using your garage door as a glorified pet door adds stress on your door, causing its hardware to wear out faster. It also places your pets in harm's way -- just imagine what would happen if your garage door suddenly came crashing down at the wrong moment.
Instead of keeping your garage door cracked open, you're better off keeping it closed until you actually need to use it. In the meantime, consider installing a pet door in your garage's side door or back door. You can even add a pet door directly to the garage door itself. This way, your pets will always have unfettered access without the risk of being harmed.
Don't Use Your Garage Door as a Leash
Another bad habit involves using your garage door as a convenient place to tie your pet's leash. When your pet inevitably pulls on its leash, it'll also pull on the component it's tied to. Not only can it damage your hardware and potentially throw your garage door off its tracks, but your pet could also be seriously injured or worse if your garage door fails. Go to site for more information.
