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Q:How safe is an electric operated garage door?
Any electric garage door properly installed with the correct safety features for the type of door and installation is extremely safe and will always have a manual override in case of power failure.
When installing any electric garage door there are a few things to consider. Firstly you do not always have to have remote control and can operate any electric door from a wall mounted push button or keyswitch only but if this is the case then you have to be in direct line of sight when operating the door and this is called a 'deadman switch' and in principal can only work as long as the person operating the door is holding their finger on the button or keeping the key turned in one position. This way the person is in full control and all responsibility lies on them. Once you can operate a door and it continues to move even if you walk away the whole idea of safety comes into play and ANY electric domestic garage door must have a leading edge safety detection system so if it hits any obstacle during closing it will stop quickly and preferably reverse. Any remote control door must have this feature as you can obviously operate the door without being able to see it.
We have seen so many instances where doors have been installed with no safety at all and this is a real concern. Make sure the minimum safety system offered is a device capable of detecting an obstacle at ANY point during the closing cycle of the garage door and stop but also has the ability to stop when opening too and getting obstructed, maybe by parking your car too close for example and then opening an up and over door.
When a garage door is next to a public highway or in a narrow street even more safety features will possibly be required in order to fulfill the requirements of what would be a risk assessment for long term safety and use of the door. This may only mean an extra safety beam or detection system but may well be necessary to give peace of mind to the user of the door.
Rogue manufacturers and installers will sell electric garage doors without the correct safety to save money and appear to be a better deal - you have been warned it is happening all the time!!!
