Is your electric garage door opener safe? It is if it complies with the guidelines set by UL 325! The Underwriters Laboratories issued some safety standards for electric operators in order to eliminate accidents and prevent hazards. Although products are not certified, they are surely tested, documented and labeled accordingly. So, next time you will need a new electric opener make sure it has the right UL 325 label!
Since technology is developing and problems are best understood in real terms, these guidelines keep being modified accordingly. The first ones were written in 1973, major changes were made in 1993 with the great expansion of electric openers and due to some significant problems. Lately, UL 325 was modified once more. The basic concern of all those participating in providing the best for people is to reduce to zero the possibility of entrapment. Homeland garage doors Vancouver insists that many people have been seriously injured by getting caught under the closing door and most of the victims were children.
The basic UL 325 guidelines and our responsibilities
At first the electric opener had to stop upon pressure of an object or human being. Lately, this guideline was modified. Since the pinned person might be suffocating, the door must stop when it finds obstruction but also move up at least 2 inches to give the person the chance to get out. The opener must have edge sensors and photo eyes that will detect motion under the closing door and reverse it. These entrapment sensing devices can actually save your life.
Installation methods must also follow these guidelines as well as maintenance. The sensors must be checked often and tested by putting a roll of kitchen paper or similar size object under the closing door. The sensing devices must reverse the door immediately and once the object is removed, the operation will continue as before and the door will close. This is one of the most critical steps when choosing a new opener but it’s equally significant to make sure the sensors and entire opener system both work properly.
Many accidents are still reported from people getting caught under the doors. Due to these entrapment incidents UL 325 were modified again in 2008. Efforts take place by those producing the opener systems and, in reality, all electric operators today ought to comply with these guidelines. Though, failure to do garage door opener repair and test the sensing system will just cancel every attempt for safer operation and might end up in tragedies.
