Garage Service in Southern California: Getting a Disability-Friendly Garage Door

If you or a family member have been involved in an accident where it has left you wheelchair-bound, you may need additional assistance accessing your entire home. However, one common mistake people make in California is forgetting to convert their garage into a disability-friendly space. Understandably, this can be rather difficult if you have never had to deal with this type of situation. Thus, the following includes further information on things you should consider when you need garage service in Southern California to convert your garage door for this type of situation.

Features Provided by a Garage Service in Southern California

Over the years, companies providing garage service in Southern California have implemented certain disability-friendly features into their precision doors. This usually involves longer emergency strings or a lower keypad. However, there are a number of other features that manufacturers have added, which you may not have noticed. For example, the safety reversal system was created not only for small children or pets but also for those who are wheelchair-bound. The system alerts the garage door motor when something or someone is below the door, thus ordering it to begin reversing back onto the tracking system above.

Installing Automatic Garage Doors

Perhaps the most important feature that you should check to see if it’s present is the automatic garage door. Although they are a common convenience that even able-body people use, the fact is that there are still some doors that may not be suited for this type of technology. Older homes are often likely not to have the infrastructure for an automatic door, and thus it is critical that a new garage San Luis Obispo service company comes and looks over the structure. They will be able to provide you with a detailed report of what you need to ensure that you or your family member is able to utilize an automatic garage door. However, even after you have received your door, there are additional items that need to be included. Perhaps the most important is the garage door remote. The remote allows disabled people to open/close the door with ease.

Let There be Light

If you’re a disabled adult, one of the first things you’re going to notice about your garage is just how difficult it is to see when you need to worry about grabbing your wheelchair or crutches. The fact is that unless your garage has a row of windows above the door, it’s likely that you will have to rely on the single light bulb above you. This can be difficult to reach and may even be useless. Thus, it is highly recommended to install two things to allow light to come into the space. If possible, you may want to add a row of windows that allow sunlight to come and thus light up the area while having the door closed. If this is not possible, you may also add LED lightbulbs or strips to the garage. LED is extremely bright, can last you for years, and won’t create heat.

Garage Door Insulation

If you or your family member is determined to continue to drive independently, they will come across certain obstacles that may not have been present before. One of those includes being in a very cold or hot garage for a prolonged period of time. Most people will simply turn off their car and run into the home. However, those with disabilities may have to spend extra time taking out their wheelchair and setting themselves up. This, of course, means that they are exposed to the elements that much longer. A great way to prevent this is to ensure that the garage door is properly insulated. Insulation kits are sold within most home improvement stores and can be easily installed by a company providing garage service in Southern California.

Have the Garage Door Inspected

For most people, the garage door is their main entrance and exit point. That means that the components will have been used over and over by yourself or your relative. Although garage doors are made to withstand constant abuse, that does not mean that they are invincible. Thus having a professional garage door repair Paso Robles inspector check out the door is critical and recommended. They will take the time to test out any and all safety features as well as the state of the components that move up and down the door. After all, the last thing you want is to have to deal with upgrades and repairs to your door during this critical time.

Adding a Wheelchair Ramp

Most garage spaces are established lower than where the actual house sits on. This is to help reduce the amount of fumes that come into the home. However, this becomes an issue if you have a wheelchair or are on crutches. Thus adding a wheelchair ramp may be the best route to take. If you do decide to add this feature, it is important to ensure that it is done correctly. This means having the correct, safe slope requirements as well as the correct width needed to accommodate a large wheelchair.