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Three essential safety checks every homeowner should do before winter

man on ladder cleaning house gutter from leaves and dirt

Your garage plays a vital role in protecting your family and belongings. By keeping it in prime working condition, you can ensure the safety and security of your home.

With the extreme weather events experienced over summer, many Australians have found regular maintenance on their home and garage has been impacted or delayed.

Why not make sure your garage gets that extra bit of TLC, with our three essential winter garage safety checks.

Water damage is a winter worry

As rainy days and cooler weather draw closer, there are some easy steps you can do to help prevent water damage to your garage.

On a dry and wind free day, check your garage roof for any cracks or damage. If you have a safe and steady ladder, clear out your drains and gutters of any sticks, leaves and other debris to avoid leaky or overflowing gutters.

For added protection against the wet weather, install a garage door seal to keep the weather out and protect your belongings from water damage.

Check your smoke alarms

Most Australians agree a working smoke alarm is a home essential, but many overlook installing them in the garage.

If you do have smoke alarms installed in your garage, do a DIY battery test to check that the alarm is in good working order.

Clear any dust off your alarm that has built up over time, as this reduces the risk of false alarms and ensures smoke can easily reach the sensor. To test the alarm simply hold down the test button for five second until it beeps.

If your alarm fails this safety test, it might be time to replace the battery or the whole unit. If you don’t have a smoke alarm in the garage it is time to install one!

Servicing your garage door is a must!

A garage door service makes sure that the largest moving object in the home is safe.

We recommend you book a professional service every two years to undertake essential maintenance and ensure your opener is in correct working order.

In between professional services, regular at home safety checks will keep your garage door in its best condition.

A quick hand wash of your door with a solution of warm water and detergent will remove any built-up dust and grime. Then clean your garage door opener itself, by wiping the mechanism down with a microfibre towel.

This process will allow the door to work freely and reduces noises that falsely indicate a fault in your door.

Once you have cleaned your garage door, you can test its alignment by operating your door and listening for any scratching or creaking noises.

No safety check is complete until you have tested your reversal system and Obstruction Detection Beams (Safety Beams).

This can be done by placing a 40mm object (such as an old book) under the door and operating the door to lower onto the object. The garage door should bounce back and reverse in less than a second.

If your garage door is making any concerning noises or your reversal system fails, it’s time to call in the experts and talk to one of our trained door system technicians.

To book a garage door opener service or for maintenance support, simply contact our Customer Service Centre on 1800 665 438.

Finally, if you haven’t already, now is a great time to register your warranty on your Chamberlain garage door opener. If you need more information on Chamberlain warranty policies, visit our FAQ page here.

By following these three essential safety checks, you can ensure you have taken the steps to help protect your home and garage this winter.

For more information about Chamberlain’s range of garage door openers and accessories, visit our website.