Childproofing the Garage Door

Childproofing, also known as babyproofing, makes an area or object safe for children. It reduces the risk of something going wrong or happening to the child that would be considered dangerous. Childproofing may include limiting children’s access to safe areas or keeping them from accessing unsafe locations; this can be done by yourself or with the help of a professional.

As more parents become aware of the various ways to protect children from injury and risk, childproofing is becoming more and more popular. It has become so crucial now that childproof rooms are available at most hotels and family resorts. It has solved the problems of worried and concerned parents who are always paranoid about their children’s safety.

When childproofing, you typically begin with the interior areas of your home, such as your bathroom and kitchen. Nevertheless, you might still want to start the childproofing process of your garage by putting all the dangerous things up high, away from reach. 

Since the garage is where the most dangerous things are kept that can harm the child, you should consider childproofing your garage door to ensure the safety of your kids. 

The Importance of Childproofing the Garage Door

Children enjoy playing in garages. The garage has hiding places, counters to climb on, power tools, and open containers. However, accidents can result from what seems like harmless fun. If you have children, it’s a good idea to childproof your garage door for safety.

Childproofing aims to prevent your child from being injured in a way that could affect them for the rest of their lives. The ultimate goal, of course, is to protect your child from a fatality.

Regarding hazards, the garage is one of the most dangerous areas of the house. While you might keep your child out of the garage, for the most part, it is still worth childproofing this area in case they wander unsupervised.

How Can You Tell If Your Garage Is Safe for Kids?

It’s time to go beyond the norm by childproofing your garage door. There are numerous steps you can take to properly childproof your garage, including:

  • As needed, repair or replace garage doors.
  • Employ licensed contractors to do repairs and installations.
  • Purchase a high-quality garage door.
  • Keep the garage door remote out of reach of children.
  • Maintain your garage door regularly.
  • Regularly inspect safety features
  • Remove your wall-mounted garage door opener from children’s reach.
  • Close and lock the garage door.
  • Check that the auto-reverse and sensors are in good working order.
  • Purchase a more durable door frame or an insulated garage door.

Following these instructions may ensure you’ve done all necessary to childproof your garage door and teach your kids about garage door safety.

Tips on Childproofing the Garage Door

1. Check the Safety of Your Garage Door

House Garage _Door

Even if you keep your child as far away from the garage as possible, if you’re not careful, they could hurt themselves on the door in a matter of seconds. Make sure the door opens and closes smoothly, and if it has a back entrance, make sure the lock is regularly checked. Additionally, make sure the garage switch is mounted high enough out of a child’s reach.

Check to see if the door has a tendency to fall automatically. The garage doors are heavy, but a child can lift them just enough to risk injury if the gate drops. If you have multiple kids, they might try lifting it together.

To stop the child from opening the garage door, you should always lock it after closing it. Practicing caution and consulting with a garage door expert can lessen your risk of injury.

2. Inform Your Child of Its Dangers

House Garage Door Kids

Even if it might not directly childproof your garage door, informing your child about its dangers is still the first line of defense. You need to explain the risks involved in opening the garage door. Also, show children how to exercise caution around garage doors.

Inform them not to touch specific door components, such as the control panel. Younger children should be clear when you open or close the garage door, even if you don’t use a garage door opener.

3. Seal the Gaps

a House Garage Door

Your garage door’s frame has gaps that a child might be drawn to. If ignored, they could suffer severe injuries, including injury to the fingers if placed in the wrong void. You can close any openings beneath and surrounding your garage door using rubber seals and stoppers to prevent such damage.

4. Toys Should Not Be Left Near the Front Door

House Garage Kids Toys

Keep your children’s toys and other favorite playthings away from the front door since opening the door could hurt them.

5. Tools Should Be Kept Out of Their Hands

House Garage Tools

Properly store sharp and harmful objects like saws, hammers, and nails to keep your children safe. You can either place them in a container or lock them in a box. Also, you ought to store your ladders in the garage in a safe location that kids cannot access.

6. Use Auto Reverse Sensors

House Garage Door Sensor

Most garage door openers have an auto-reverse function. This feature stops the door from moving when a sensor notices nearby motion. The auto-reverse option will protect your children and pets because the garage door won’t open when it detects movement on the ground.

7. Get A Safety-Locked Garage Door Opener

House Garage Door Safety-Locked

Consider getting a door opener with a kid safety lock. Once the garage door opener has been started, it cannot be used even if your child hits a button. You must enter a code before activating the garage door opener because of the child safety lock.

You can also get a smart garage door opener, which requires you to open and close your garage door using your smartphone. To prevent your children from accessing the app, ensure your phone is locked. These days’ children are intelligent enough to open applications and use them even if they have no idea how.

8. Consult A Specialist Regarding the Garage Doors

House Garage Door Worker

Only qualified specialists should install and repair garage doors. You may perform simple maintenance, such as painting an old garage door or lubricating moving parts. However, the best way to guarantee the door is installed and maintained by the manufacturer’s instructions and safety guidelines is to hire a certified and professional garage door contractor.

9. Store Only Your Vehicles if Possible

Try to keep only the equipment in the garage that doesn’t pose a risk of falling or collapsing on your children, such as bicycles, motorbikes, lawnmowers, weights, and all other vehicles. It would be preferable to clean your garage and take out any large, dangerous items that tower above the room. There shouldn’t be anything in there that would allow a minor garage bump to bring down an entire pile.

10. Keep Fasteners and Small Parts Away

Garage Tools

Small items like nuts, screws, and bolts should be kept out of children’s reach in a sealed container. They will consume anything they can get their hands on, so you don’t want to wind up in the hospital because one of these little pieces that are scattered about your office was ingested.

The additional benefit is the possibility of organizing and storing all the parts and fasteners that have probably been gathering dust in the garage for years.

11. Regular Appointments for Garage Door Maintenance

Garage Door

It’s easy to put off the routine maintenance and inspections required to keep your garage door in good working order when you have small children and a busy household. But in any case, be sure to have a technician maintain your garage door at least once a year. Making these appointments in the fall will ensure that the garage doors are prepared for the winter’s heavy rain, wind, and snow.

Garage Childproofing: Put Safety First

Investing in childproofing is a cheap way to protect your kids from danger. Childproofing your garage door is quick and easy if you know what’s potentially harmful. Be aware that you must always keep these goods on hand if you want to keep your garage door secure and childproof. Children are not only quick learners but also highly curious and like to explore everything, so keep an eye on things and keep your garage childproof.

Therefore, the garage door needs to be childproofed if you have children around.