Key safety features to consider for overhead doors

Here are the top four safety features to consider when investing in your next door:

It’s important for a door to recognize if an obstruction is in the way as it closes. Choose a door with photo eyes or safety-sensing edges. Photo eyes transmit a beam a few inches off the floor; if something breaks the beam, the door automatically stops and reverses. Safety sensing edges attach to the bottom of the doorframe and cause the door to stop and reverse if something makes contact with them.

Photo eyes and safety-sensing edges aren’t new technology, but not all doors feature them. The alternative is a door wired to operate only with constant pressure on the push button during the close cycle — if the operator removes his or her finger from the button the door will stop. This is required for any door without photo eyes or safety-sensing edges.

Unless a door has an automatic latch, a single latch handle needs to be manually released prior to opening the door. Look for a single latch handle that incorporates a safety switch to prevent the door from starting until it’s unlocked. This will save on expenses associated with damage from trying to open the door while it’s locked in place.

Some manufacturers also offer optional top override switches. These serve as backup safety switches if the limit switch in the control box fails. When contact is made with the override switch, it stops the door from traveling past its opening height.

A door made of all-steel construction rather than a combination of wood and steel will provide long-term durability. Also confirm that the door’s construction meets the current building code wind load requirements. Some older doors may lack strength because they were built according to older building codes based off lower wind loads.

Finally, check whether the manufacturer has a high safety rating. A door with a 5-to-1 safety rating, for example, means the cables and straps opening the door can withstand stress that is five times greater than the weight of the door.

With these tips in mind, work with an overhead door manufacturer to find the best fit for you. You’ll be well on your way to investing in a door that puts safety first.

For more information, contact Jason Myrvik at 701-277-8836 or jason@midlanddoorsolutions.com.