June is Garage Door Safety Month, so we thought we would share an issue that came up recently in the United States regarding garage door security. 

On May 7th a news story was aired cautioning homeowners that garage doors are an easy entryway into the house. During the story, a reporter put forth a “solution” to break-ins, by suggesting the use of a zip-tie and to cut off the emergency release rope and handle. Other similar news stories suggesting the same solution began airing in other cities in the U.S., and we came across it on Twitter.

We, at Upright Door Service Inc., felt that this was ill-advised and we whole-heartedly agree with the garage door dealer and member of the International Door Association who wrote to the news agency stating his concerns that “the solution presented is a very dangerous one because the emergency release on the garage door opener is designed to help save lives in case a child or pet is accidentally pinned underneath the garage door or also in case of emergency exit out of the garage.” The member brought the matter to the IDA’s attention, and the IDA issued it’s own release and warnings against such advice:

The use of a zip-tie or removal of the emergency release rope is a safety hazard, and doing so is contrary to federal safety standards. Following unsafe advice such as this could result in serious injury to a child, adult, or pet.

Break-ins via the garage are very rare in our area, however if you are concerned and want more information regarding garage door security, contact us.  For more safety tips, you can also read our article: 10 Things You Need to Know About Garage Door Safety.

For more information feel free to contact us. Don’t forget to stay tuned to our blog, and visit us on Facebook and Twitter!