Many times each year, as an expert door witness I am asked to provide opinions on garage door accidents. Garage doors are available in various sizes and styles. The garage doors can serve many purposes, ranging from the basic protection of a space to cosmetic concealment. Doors can generally be categorized into several basic types or styles. Read more now on Rainbow Garage Doors .

The majority of modern residential garage doors tend to be overhead sectional. The overhead sectional garage door is available in various configurations, insulation levels, and appearance options. The doors can be ordered as a kit or a customized design that will match any type of building. Commercial warehouses often have higher security standards.

The “roll up” style, which is similar to a rolling top desk door, makes a good security type door. It can be made of a wide range materials and can even be stronger than the walls surrounding it, making entry difficult. Commercial installations can also include aluminum panel single doors or sections. They are used to close off an area already protected, rather than as a means of ensuring point security.

In the old days, springs were often used to balance door weight and this posed a risk. Prior to mid-’60s, most garage door installations relied on a set of tensioned (stretched) springs that assisted the hinges of the garage doors.

The springs become loaded when the door moves into its closed position. As the door is opened in the overhead horizontal position, the spring energy stored within it will be released. These spring systems are dangerous due to the fact that the attachment points for the springs rust over time.

The springs and points of attachment were often weakened, resulting in an explosion that ejected the components of broken springs across the garage. These springs, steel parts, or cars would be embedded into the walls of garages, as well as other items. Sadly, these explosions sometimes hit people. Manufacturers created “cages” to protect the springs when they failed.

In an effort to contain the components that could release in the event of a failure, these cages have been retrofitted on the stretched springs. Although these devices proved to be useful, they weren’t completely successful. Some of the spring devices used in these caging devices are still being used. A qualified service technician must be called in whenever this problem exists or garage parts are of questionable quality.