Garage doors are significantly heavy meaning they can easily cause accidents that are fatal. This is why the federal law requires manufacturers to make doors with an integrated reversing mechanism and eye sensors to avoid entrapment. It is a feature that allows your family and assets to stay protected. The two sense when there is someone or something in the way of the door. If the feature notices anything then it stops the garage door and then reverses it.
Garage doors manufactured after 1991 are equipped with the auto reverse mechanism. However, many modern day openers are not adjusted properly and thus many garage doors do not stop when an object is in their way. When the controls on the opener are adjusted the reversing mechanism will work properly. The opener’s force and the limit settings should be adjusted according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Each garage door comes with a manual that clearly outlines all the testing instructions. If anything is unclear, contact your supplier or a garage door expert to explain the safety guidelines to you.
Since the reversing mechanism keeps you safe, it is important to test it regularly to ensure that it is working. Many garage door injuries that are reported each year could have been prevented by this safety feature. Some of these injuries have resulted to death especially among children. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, since 1982 more than 60 children under 14 years have been trapped and killed under garage doors. Those who did not die suffered serious injuries and brain damage when they come into contact with garage closing doors that did not reverse.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission urges homeowners to inspect the condition of their garage door regularly so as to avoid such accidents. They should check to ensure that the door is well balanced. If the door is unbalanced, it can crash to the floor and strike someone or anything under the open door. The reversing mechanism works only when it is configured correctly. If your opener does not have the reverse mechanism, consider making a replacement.
To test the reversing mechanism, follow these steps
If the door does not reopen, then call in an expert to come and check the issue. The reversing mechanism can work with servicing or you may have to replace your opener.
Repairing or replacing the garage door opener that does not automatically reverse will prevent your children and pets from being trapped and even killed by closing doors.
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