According to the latest study by the National Safety Council, over 130,000 accidental deaths occurred in 2014 (the most recently updated year). These were due to falls, poisoning, and other hazards. Many of these took place in and around the victims’ homes, so any way we can make our houses safer is something worth thinking about. Since June is Garage Safety Month, why not take the time now to work toward a safer garage and home?
Garage Spring Repair
When something breaks around the house, it’s tempting to attempt your own repair right away to save time and money. However, when something like a garage spring breaks, it’s important to leave that repair to a professional. You wouldn’t trust an inexperienced person to repair or replace electric wiring in your house, so there’s no reason to trust a lay person to repair your garage door.
Torsion Garage Door Springs
Torsion springs are found on a torsion rod above the garage door. If your door has two springs and one breaks, the other isn’t far behind. Torsion springs assist your garage door when opening and closing by unwinding and winding the coils, so it’s easy to see how the day-to-day usage can cause wear and tear. These springs are tightly wound and under high tension, which can lead to serious injury for those inexperienced in servicing them and without the proper tools. If a spring were to break free because it was improperly contained or serviced, it could become a projectile capable of damaging anything in its path. Broken springs should be repaired as soon as possible to prevent damage your garage door opener and/or your garage door. Do not use your garage door opener if you have a broken spring. Call our office for service.
Extension Garage Door Springs
Attached to the sides of a garage door, extension garage door springs stretch along the sides and top of the tracks of a garage door. These springs are tailored specifically based on the height of the garage door and designed to lift a certain amount of weight. Because of these reasons, it’s easy to see how choosing the incorrect extension garage door spring could result in failure, leading to injury.
Chemicals in the Garage
You may not even realize what you have stored in your garage when it comes to chemicals. If you change your own oil, you may have a jug of old oil in a corner. There may be an old container of antifreeze that should’ve been removed years ago. What about those old buckets of paint lying around? If one of these containers were to be knocked over or develop a leak and a pet or child got into it, that could spell disaster. Flammable materials in your garage could become a big danger in the case of a spark. When removing these chemicals, it’s important to remember not to simply toss them in the garbage. Check with your local city waste authority to find out how to deal with hazardous waste. In the Des Moines area, Metro Waste Authority can take care of it for you.
Grilling in the Garage
Planning a get-together with friends at your place in Iowa always involves checking the weather daily. Even if the forecast calls for sunshine all day, a brief rainshower may show up uninvited to your party. As tempting as it may be to start up the propane grill in your garage, take a moment to remember all of the potential dangers. Chemicals, as just discussed, are a very real danger. Additionally, carbon monoxide can build quickly in a garage. Keep yourself and your loved ones safe and wait for the rain to clear.
Securing Your Garage
Regardless of whether your garage is attached to your home or detached, make sure you’re keeping all doors securely locked when not in use. This may seem obvious, but often the garage is overlooked when it comes to locks because the vehicles inside are locked. Think about everything else in your garage, though. Chemicals, lawn mowers, weed eaters, and more could walk away without you noticing until the next time you need to change your oil, repair your vehicle, or mow the lawn.
We offer installation, garage door opener repair and replacement, and more. Let us know what we can do to help add value to your home with one of our products.