TIPS FOR DO-IT-YOURSELFERS Take precautions when installing garage door

ARE AUTOMATIC garage doors safe? It’s not a difficult question to answer. Properly installed garage doors are safe — until tampered with.

However, homeowners tend to be do-it-yourselfers and prefer to save costs and learn maintenance on their own, which isn’t always a bad idea.

But when you’re working with the largest, heaviest piece of ecuipment on your home — a garage door —- there are some precautions that should be taken.

Many accidents are caused by people tampering with springs, children playing with remote con- trol devices, and the age of the garage door; eventually, they do need to be replaced.

Primarily, there are two rules to garage door maintenance: Never adjust or replace springs and, if your garage needs repairs, don’t put them off.

There are two types of springs used on doors. Some models use extension springs that stretch like rubber bands to slow the closing of the door, and then contract to help life the weight of the door when it is opened. Extension springs must

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be fitted with containment cables to prevent flying parts.

Other doors use torsion springs that wind up like the spring on a window shade to handle the weight of the door. Both types of springs are dangerous to fool with.

Yet, accidents to adults involv- ing springs are common. Torsion springs pose the greatest danger to do-it-yourself homeowners since they require a special tool.

Homeowners who attempt to in- crease tension on their torsion spr- ings with makeshift devices such as screwdrivers are in for trouble.

Another factor overlooked by the homeowner is that adjusting the spring bracket on the garage frame can be hazardous because it, too, is under tension.

Following the second rule, if the garage door is damaged, don’t put off repairs. And don't do the repairs yourself; call a profes- sional.

John Cullison, a product man- ager for a leading manufacturer of garage doors stresses, ‘‘Most acci- dents ase attributable to amateur installation and repair work. To- day’s openers and doors are safe when properly installed and servic- ed.””

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WHEN IT comes to kids’ rooms, decorating can be fun.

But while it’s easy to conjure up images of sleepyheads tucked in sturdy bunks or elegant ruffled canopy beds, keep in mind that usually the same room and fur- nishings must last well beyond the nursery years into the teen years. So they must adapt easily to a growing child’s needs.

Interior design experts say a well-planned kid’s room should be as inviting for daytime use as it is for sleeping. Such a room can sat- isfy a youngster’s desire for privacy and provide a place for entertaining friends, studying, playing or listening to music.

Keep these activities in mind when decorating and remodeling. A bed with a throw cover and pienty of pillows can double as seating.

Dressers, chests, bookcases and desks that can be lined up side by side or stacked to free up floor space are good choices. Shelves that hold stuffed animals or dolls can later be used for tapes and trophies.

Some sources for furnishings in- clude unpainted furniture stores (the pieces can be repainted when it’s time for a change) and summer furniture departments, where you may find the perfect rattan chair or inexpensive table for playing games or doing homework.

The right ceiling, too, makes all the difference in kids’ rooms. Since having fun can be noisy, consider an acoustical tile ceiling

that assures peace and quiet for the rest of the family while the young ones listen to rock music or prac- tise dunk shots.

Besides the sound-proofing ad- vantages, tile ceilings are washable, fire retardant (many of them) and long-lasting.

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The horeowner can do a number of things to keep a door in good mechanical order, and detect when repair is necessary.

First, be certain the door is pro- perly balanced before installing an automatic garage door opener. If not properly installed, electronic, structural and safety problems can easily occur.

Balancing should be left to a local professional door and opera- tor dealer, not the homeowner. An improperly kung door can be dan- gerous to you, your family and your car, and can become very ex- pensive to repair.

Garage door experts recommend that, after installing the door, you check the sensitivity adjustment with an object (other than a body part). This can be done by measur- ing the length of time the door takes to reverse when it hits the object.

The door should reverse within

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two seconds after contact. If that is not the case, the door should be checked for possible problems, such as a worn track and broken springs.

Cables and attachment points should be checked regularly for wear, and door bolts and screws should be checked for tightness.

The track should not be bent or loose where it's attached to the garage, and all wheels should roll freely. If they don’t, lubricate the wheel bearings. Rollers, springs, hardware pivot points and openers should also be lubricated.

Also, don’t overlook painting your door regularly to avoid operational damage and structural damage caused by exposure — but do not paint the hardware. Hard- ware is made to move, and paint will interfere with its operation.

Adults should keep triggering devices for automatic doors out of reach of children — actuating but-

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tons in the garage should be in- stalled where they are difficult, if not impossible, for children to teach.

Keep fingers away from the door as it comes down; they can get caught in between two closing panels.

Many professional garage door installers say that most doors never get inspection and maintenance after the day they are installed. Doors do need to be inspected and maintained, only carefully and often with the aid of a profes- sional.

If you follow these guidelines — never tamper with door springs, check all bolts and screws, make certain the track is not bent, check cables and attachment points for wear, keep the door painted regu- larly and lubricate moving parts — your door’s lifetime will be longer and safer.

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