Preparing Your Garage Door for Winter
How does cold weather affect garage doors?
As it gets to the time of the year when the air starts cooling down, and the trees lose all of their leaves, everyone starts putting up their Christmas decorations and getting their snowblowers ready for the first snowfall of the season. One more important thing, though, that is necessary at this time of year (which people often overlook) is preparing their garage doors for winter.
Although you probably use your garage door even more frequently in the winter than you do at other times of the year, you probably haven’t thought much about the way colder weather can affect this vital entry and exit point from your home.
Your garage is not unlike other exterior elements of your home—its exposure to the elements can lead to significant wear and tear. All of that extra usage can contribute to this as well. Although it is always important to pay attention to the maintenance of your garage door, the time right before winter begins is an especially good time for this.
Without proper preparation, you may face many problems with your garage door in the wintertime. As temperatures drop, its metal parts, like springs and screws, can shrink, impacting your garage door’s ability to open and close, and affecting its overall durability. In addition, your garage door’s tracks are more likely to warp when the weather gets cold, and its springs are more likely to break during this time.
Your garage door is one of the main ways that cold air is blocked from coming inside your home during the winter months. If it is not properly winterized, it may end up getting stuck while open, which could be disastrous for the temperature of your house.
It could also get stuck while closed, which could prevent you from being able to get your car out. However, making sure that your garage door’s metal components are functioning well will make a huge difference when winter strikes, and can prevent either of these unwanted scenarios.
How to Prevent Garage Door Damage in Winter
Although winter has the potential to be quite damaging to your garage door, you can avoid this issue by taking proper preventative action. The following proactive measures will help ensure that you have nothing to worry about with regard to your garage door this winter:
1. Look and listen
Although you might not usually pay much attention to what is going on with your garage door as long as it is opening and closing properly, observing it while in action can actually be quite helpful.
While watching and listening to it as it opens and closes, you should pay extra attention to whether it moves smoothly and silently. If it does not, or if one side of the system starts to look asymmetrical, you may want to get it checked out before the problem worsens.
2. Test the balance
When a garage door gets out of balance, it needs to work harder to operate, which can negatively affect its longevity. You can test the balance of your garage door’s counterweight system by pulling its release handle and manually moving the door about halfway up its track.
If it does not stay put when you do this, that is a good sign the counterweight system is out of balance and in need of a professional spring adjustment.
3. Inspect and replace the rollers
Your garage door’s rollers need to be inspected at least twice a year and replaced every several years. During your inspection, if you notice that the rollers are worn, chipped, or cracked, it is crucial that you get them replaced as soon as possible.
4. Replace the weather stripping
The rubber weather seal on the bottom of your garage door can become brittle or cracked as it wears over time. If you notice this starting to happen, it is important that you replace it; otherwise, it will not be able to keep the elements out as it is supposed to. Ensure that if you replace this seal, you use the right type of rubber for your door.
5. Lubricate the moving parts
Lubricating your garage door’s moving parts does not take much time, but it can save you from a lot of trouble and add years to the lifespan of your door. Using a spray lubricant, coat all of the garage door’s moving parts, especially the overhead springs.
6. General grooming
It is also important to examine the garage door itself and perform any necessary grooming. If you have a wooden garage door, you should check to see if it has any water damage and warp, or chipped and peeling paint. If your garage door is steel and it shows signs of rust, it should be sanded, primed, and painted.
How Profix Garage Door Repair Can Get Your Garage Door Ready for Winter
Although you can probably do some of the basic maintenance work that we mentioned above all by yourself, if you run into any major concerns regarding the state of your garage door, it is best to call in professionals to have a look and take the necessary measures.
If you are looking for Whitby garage door repair services, then Profix Garage Door Repair can certainly help you. Someone from our team of garage door experts can assess the issue, provide a quick estimate, and then make on-the-spot repairs to get your garage door up and running again in no time.
We fully understand that garage door issues can be incredibly inconvenient and can put your life on hold until they are resolved, which is why we always arrive at your home to take care of everything that needs to be done as soon as possible.
If you have an emergency situation, such as your car getting trapped inside your garage, you can make use of our 24/7 emergency repair service, and we will prioritize an even more speedy response to ensure that your issue is resolved promptly. All of our vehicles are equipped with the essential tools and parts to fix your garage door, so one of our technicians can make on-the-spot fixes without even the slightest delay.
When you observe your garage door as you prepare it for the winter, if you notice that it has bent tracks, worn rollers, or broken cables, then call us right away, and we can come and assess the damage to determine the best course of action.
No matter what the situation is, we can offer suitable remedies so that your garage door can be made safe and secure once again. In doing so, we can help extend the life of your garage door and ensure that its integrity is especially maintained throughout the winter season.
For more information about how we can help you prepare your garage door for winter or to learn more about our repair services, call Profix Garage Door Repair at 855-685-0999 or email us at contact@profixgaragedoor.ca.