From this issue of our Homeowners Maintenance Series come the following tips to help maintain your garage door in good working order. A few quick checks could prevent insurance claims while ensuring safety for your family.

Examine your automatic garage door opener to be sure that it both opens and closes the door as it should.

The manual function of your garage door is just as important as the automatic door opener.  Take a moment to see that the door is balanced and lifts  easily and smoothly. The door remains open on its own to about 36 inches off the ground. If it does not, then servicing by a trained technician should be done; and be sure they check the overhead spring. 

Proper manual operation is important in the event of a power outage or if your automatic garage door opener is lost. In fact, FEMA recommends that you locate your garage door’s manual release lever well before a power failure ever makes it necessary, and be sure to let your family know how to operate it as well.

An important garage door safety check...

For safety purposes, the reversing force of the garage door must be set properly.This is the function that prevents the tragic consequences of the garage door closing - and remaining closed - on a small child or a pet.

Here's how to check that function: Place a 2" thick block of wood in the location on the ground where the door comes down. Then, close the door. If it working properly, it will pop back up immediately upon hitting the wood block. If it does not, be sure to have the door checked by a professional.

Here at the William M. Sparks Insurance Agency  in Timonium, MD, we urge you to check the function of your garage door regularly to prevent injuries to children, pets and others as they leave or enter your garage.This would also be a good time to check your insurance liability by having your insurance agent review your homeowners policy for adequate coverage levels if you have not done so recently.