Get Openers Complying with UL 325 Standards

The UL 325 regulations regarding garage door openers are not new. Actually they are twenty years old but as important as the first day the federal legislation was formed. It is important to understand the significance of the law and why you should still check the door operators before you buy them as well as make sure safety sensors are checked and maintained often. The basic purpose of the law was to stop garage door injuries caused by collapsing panels. It was a common effort of the authorities of all states to put an end to tragic accidents due to faulty openers.

Though, it is even more astonishing that garage door mishaps still damage people's lives every single day. There are still over 20,000 accidents reported annually and over 20% of them regard collapsing panels. In a sense, this can be expected when many homeowners do not comply with the basic rules of the frequency of garage door maintenance and over 40% of safety sensors are not working. People, including children, have actually died due to faulty electric systems and we still seem to look the other way.

About UL 325 and garage door operators

Since 1993 electric garage door openers ought to have:

• A reverse mechanism, which will be activated two seconds after finding an obstruction.
• A timer, which will reverse the door thirty seconds later, if the door has not closed fully.
• Photoelectric eyes or edge sensors, which will be part of the system or an external device and work as an additional protection mechanism.
• The opener must come with a garage opener remote or wall switch.

It is helpful to know that new openers come with specific labels indicating that the product was manufactured after the '93 regulations and according to UL 325 standards. Consumers are obliged to keep a copy of the manufacturer's manual and it's good to stick a label in an obvious place reminding you of the necessity for garage door opener sensors maintenance. These are standard procedures today and if you comply with them and you will never have to worry about accidents.