How to Childproof Your Garage and Garage Door

The two real risks: pinch points and a door that doesn't reverse

Garage door childproofing gets talked about like it's one thing, but it's really two separate problems. The first is mechanical: a moving door has pinch points along the panel seams that can catch small fingers. The second is electronic: every modern opener has a safety reverse system that's supposed to stop and reverse the door if it senses an obstruction, and that system can fail quietly if it's never tested. Most of what follows is about controlling access to the door and confirming that second system actually works — because a door that reverses on contact is a very different risk than one that doesn't.

Test the auto-reverse safety feature every month

Every opener made since the late 1990s is required to have two independent safety systems: the photo-eye sensors near the floor, and a mechanical auto-reverse that responds to physical resistance. Both can degrade over time without any obvious warning sign.

The test takes two minutes. Place a roll of paper towels — or a piece of 2x4 laid flat — on the garage floor directly under where the door closes. Run the door down normally. A door with working auto-reverse will touch the object and immediately reverse back up. If it stops but doesn't reverse, or keeps closing and puts pressure on the object, stop using the door immediately and don't let anyone, especially kids, near it until it's inspected.

Do this once a month, the same way you'd test a smoke detector. It's the single most important childproofing step on this list because it's the last line of defense if a child ends up in the door's path.

Mount the wall control out of a child's reach

The interior wall button is the easiest way for a small child to activate a garage door, because it's usually mounted at adult waist or shoulder height near the door into the house — well within reach of a toddler being held, or a five-year-old on a step stool.

Most professionals mount the wall control at least 5 feet (60 inches) up the wall. If yours is lower and you have young kids in the house, that's a simple relocation for a technician during a maintenance visit or opener repair — it doesn't require new hardware, just moving the existing unit and running the wire to a higher spot.

Treat remotes like car keys, not toys

A garage door remote left in a diaper bag, a kitchen drawer a toddler can open, or clipped to a stroller is functionally the same risk as a low wall button — it's a button that opens a moving door, in a child's hands. A few habits fix this:

• Keep remotes on the same keyring as your car keys, not in a separate spot kids know about.
• If you use a visor remote in a car kids ride in, make sure it's mounted high on the visor, not loose in a cupholder or door pocket.
• Don't leave a spare remote in the garage itself, where it's often exactly at a child's height on a shelf or workbench.

Know where the pinch points actually are

The instinct is to tell kids "stay away from the garage door track," which is good advice but incomplete. The pinch risk isn't just the track — it's the horizontal seams between panels, which close together as the door curves up and over the opening. A finger resting on a panel seam while the door is moving can get caught the same way a finger in a closing car door can.

This matters most on older, steel sectional doors where the panel gaps are wider and less shielded than on newer pinch-resistant designs. If your door is more than 10-15 years old, it's worth asking a technician during your next service call whether the panel style has pinch-resistant edges — if not, teaching kids "don't touch the door at all while it's moving, top to bottom" is the safer rule than "just stay off the track."

The general habit that solves most of this: nobody, kids or adults, stands under or touches a door that's in motion. Treat it the way you'd treat an elevator door.

Manage your keypad code like a house key

An outdoor keypad is convenient, but it's also the one entry point that isn't tied to a specific person's hands the way a remote or a key fob is. A few basics keep it from becoming a weak link:

• Use a code that isn't your street address or birthday — anything a kid (or a stranger) could reasonably guess from what's already visible on your house.
• Change the code periodically, and always after any repair work, a move-out, or if you've ever shared it with a contractor, dog walker, or cleaner who no longer needs access.
• If your opener supports a temporary or "vacation lock" code, use it when you don't need keypad access disabled entirely for a stretch of time — during a family gathering with a lot of kids around, for example.
• Teach kids old enough to use the keypad that it's for entering the house, not for playing with the door up and down.

What to do if the safety test fails

If your monthly paper-towel test shows the door isn't reversing, or the photo-eye LEDs aren't lit steady on both sides, don't wait for it to "act up more" before calling someone. A door that fails auto-reverse is not a convenience issue, it's a safety one, and it should be the same priority as a smoke detector that won't test.

In the meantime, keep the door in the down position, unplug or disconnect the opener if you can do so safely, and use a side door for access until it's repaired. A sensor repair or realignment runs $120-$180 + tax, and the service call itself is free with any repair, so there's no reason to put off having it looked at.

Royal Garage Doors recommendation

Childproofing a garage door is mostly about habits — mounting the control high, keeping remotes off a child's radar, and testing auto-reverse monthly — but if that safety test ever fails, that's not a DIY fix. Royal Garage Doors has been serving Mississauga, Toronto, and the GTA for 15 years with a 5.0 rating across 500+ reviews, and our technicians can inspect and realign your sensors, reset your keypad, or relocate your wall control in the same visit. See our full pricing page for current rates, or book a service call — it's free with any repair.

Related reading: Garage Door Safety for Pets and Kids: A GTA Parent's Checklist.

Frequently Asked Questions

How high should I mount my garage door wall control to keep it out of a child's reach?

Most professionals mount it at least 5 feet (60 inches) up the garage wall — high enough that a toddler, or a young child on a step stool, still can't reach the button, while it stays comfortable for an adult to use. If yours is lower, a technician can relocate it during a routine service visit.

How often should I test my garage door's auto-reverse safety feature?

Test it monthly. Place a roll of paper towels or a 2x4 flat on the floor where the door closes — a working door should touch it and reverse immediately. If it doesn't reverse, stop using the door and have it inspected before anyone, especially kids, goes near it.

Where exactly are the pinch points on a garage door?

The horizontal seams between panels close together as the door curves up and over the opening, and can pinch fingers resting on them. This is a bigger risk on older steel doors without pinch-resistant panel edges. The safest rule is that nobody touches a door that's in motion, not just staying off the track.

Should my kids know the garage door keypad code?

Only if they're old enough to understand it's for entering the house, not for playing with the door. Use a code that isn't your address or birthday, change it periodically, and always change it after sharing it with a contractor or service provider who no longer needs access.

What should I do if my garage door doesn't reverse when something's in its path?

Treat it as urgent, not a wait-and-see repair. Keep the door down and use a side door for access until it's fixed. Sensor repair or realignment runs $120-$180 + tax, and the service call is free with any repair, so there's no reason to delay booking one.

Sources & standards: Garage door safety follows the UL 325 standard for automatic operators, and our technicians are certified by the International Door Association (IDEA). Pricing reflects current Royal Garage Doors rates for the GTA.

The bottom line: done right, the result is a garage door that opens quietly, balances correctly and is safe to use every day — backed by Royal's 1-year labour warranty so the outcome lasts.