10 GARAGE DOOR SAFETY & SECURITY TIPS

admin — Thu, 14 May 2009 20:50:37 +0000

Make sure garage door opener control button is out of the reach of small children.
Do not let children play with garage door remote controls.
Consult the owner’s manual and learn how to use the garage door’s emergency release feature.
Visually inspect the garage door each month. Look at springs, cables, rollers and pulleys for signs of wear. Do not attempt to remove, adjust or repair these parts or anything attached to them. A trained door repairman must make adjustments to these parts, which are under high tension.
Test the garage door opener’s reversing mechanism monthly by placing a 2 x 4 board or a roll of paper towels in the door’s path. If the door does not reverse after contacting the object, call a qualified garage door professional for repair. If the opener has not been replaced since 1993, seriously consider a new one with auto-reverse as a standard feature.
Never place fingers between door sections and explain the dangers to children. If you have small children, consider a door with panels that can’t pinch.
Do not leave the garage door partially open. When activated again, it may travel downward and come in contact with an object in its path. This also impacts your home’s security as well.
While on vacation, unplug the garage door opener unit or use a wall vacation lock console security switch, which renders remotes unusable and is an optional accessory to most openers.
If the opener does not have rolling-code technology, which changes the access codes each time the opener is used to prevent code grabbing, be sure to change the manufacturer’s standard access codes on the opener and remote control, or consider investing in a newer model with more safety and security features that are now standard.
A new trend in home invasion is gaining access to the home by stealing the opener or car. Never leave the remote control in the car or with a parking attendant. Consider using a key chain remote and always lock the entry to the inside of your home – especially if your opener is programmed to your vehicle. It is a small inconvenience for safety and security.

KEEP YOUR HOME AND FAMILY SAFE: LOWER THE DOOR ON CRIME

admin — Thu, 14 May 2009 15:01:29 +0000

New garage doors, garage door openers and accessories prevent intruders from invading your home.

CLEVELAND, OHIO – according to statistics compiled by metropolitan police departments, approximately 50 percent of all residential burglaries occur because a garage door is left open or is outdated and no longer secure.

The garage door industry is reminding homeowners in 2009 to make it a practice to keep their garage doors closed when not in use.

“An open garage door is an open invitation to thieves,” says Chris Long, executive director of the International Door Association. “Thieves are also targeting remote controls that are not locked up in vehicles parked outside.”

Long says many Americans are now upgrading their garage doors to stylish new models that are now available. “Unfortunately, many homeowners are in the dangerous habit of leaving their garage doors open. If you’ve just bought a stylish new garage door, why not show it off and keep it closed?”

Today’s technologies enable new garage doors to provide greater security than the garage doors of yesteryear. Garage doors paired with open-door alert systems, miniature keyring remote controls and numerically coded or fingerprint keypad entry systems keep unwanted visitors out of your home and away from your family’s belongings.

GarageWowNow.com, a non-commercial, home improvement resource sponsored by the garage door industry, provides ways to improve home safety and security. in addition to explaining the advantages of installing today’s new garage door styles, the site also offers insight to the many garage door accessories that can keep a home safe.

OPEN-DOOR ALERT SYSTEMS

How many times have you gone in your house after working in your yard or carrying groceries out of your car and left the garage door open? New garage doors can be equipped with an open garage door monitor that can be affixed to your door system. When a garage door is left open, a warning light will indicate “open door” – a signal for you to close your garage door. Homeowners can sleep easy, knowing their garage doors are closed and their families are safe.

MINIATURE KEYRING REMOTE CONTROLS

Another tool for the security-minded homeowner is a miniature keyring remote control. Think about it. Leaving your garage door remote control opener in your car – whether it’s parked in your driveway or anywhere – is the same as leaving your house keys on your driver’s seat.

Crafty thieves are breaking into vehicles and grabbing the garage door remote and getting your home address from your car’s registration or insurance documents,” adds Long. “They then drive to your home and pull right in your garage.”

Long recommends replacing your visor-clip remote control with a handy miniature keyring remote control. Hooked onto your keychain, these remotes can easily be carried with you at all times.

KEYLESS ENTRY SYSTEMS

One of the most popular garage door accessories is a keypad entry system mounted outside your garage door. With these devices, you can open your garage door with a simple swipe of your fingerprint or by entering a 4-digit code.