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Garage doors vital to your home’s safety

By Pam Bengston

Overhead Door Company, Fergus Falls

There are many ways to add style to your home. Obvious choices are new shutters, landscaping or bright colorful flowers, but don’t forget choosing an attractive garage door for security, style and return on your investment.

A recent national study on remodeling costs and value by Remodeling Magazine has found that homeowners who upgrade their basic garage doors can realize an astounding 71.9 percent return on investment (ROI) on average; making it a top-five home improvement for ROI. Upgrade to a higher quality door and you could see returns up to 84 percent.

On another thought, a garage door is one of the largest moving objects in your home, and is typically used every day, giving you good reason to keep it in proper working order. The following are practical tips for keeping your garage doors and openers in safe, proper working order.

Garage door safety tips

Mount the garage door opener control button out of the reach of small children (at least five feet from the floor) and where you have a clear view of the door.

Do not let children play with garage door remote controls; explain that the remote controls are not toys.

Know how to use your garage door opener’s emergency release feature. Your owner’s manual provides instructions.

Do not attempt to repair cables or springs. These parts are under high tension and require special tools for adjustment. Improper handling can result in serious injury.

Garage Door Security

While on vacation or away from home for extended periods of time, unplug the garage door opener unit or use a vacation lock on the wall console switch.

Consider purchasing a garage door opener with rolling code technology, which changes the access codes each time the transmitter is used to prevent code grabbing.

Never leave the remote control in the car or with a parking attendant. It should be treated like a house key.

Always lock the door from the garage to the inside of your home for greater safety and security.

Check to make sure your garage door is closed when you lock your entry doors at night.

So the right garage door not only adds value to your home, protects you and your family, it can add some amazing style and pizzaz!