Winters are lovely as long as you travel in the warmth of your own car and drive straight into your private garage with the push of a button. But when you return home in a blizzard and the overhead garage door won’t open, the season doesn’t seem so lovely anymore. Since you can’t take it out on the winter, make sure your door works right. All you need is a few garage door maintenance tips to keep the system going even when the temperatures drop below zero.
Why most garage door problems pop in the winter?
Most garage door parts are made of steel. And steel contracts when exposed to cold temperatures. The components of your door won’t behave the same way as they do during the summer. So, they need extra good care even before the winter comes. To make matters worse, snow might block the door. With the temperatures at low levels, snow will turn into ice. As a result, your door will get stuck and won’t open.
And then there is the electric garage door opener. Its sensors might freeze. The clicker might die. And there might be more complications with the system, especially if your garage is not heated.
8 ways to keep the garage door moving
- Do weekly garage door inspections. The frequency of your inspections should depend on the weather conditions. When it gets very cold and the forecast doesn’t seem to change anytime soon, it’s best to check the door often.
- Make sure the garage door tracks are free of debris and well lubricated.
They get dirty easily during the winter. During storms, dust will blend with the grease and create a mixture that is really stiff. It will keep the rollers from sliding right. - As a matter of fact, you must be sure all steel parts are well lubricated. Oils will help the door move and eliminate noise.
- Check the garage door springs. They can freeze too. And when they are frozen, they break faster. Their coils also need lubrication.
- Make sure the brackets are aligned. Since they contract, they might throw the door out of alignment and so it won’t open.
- If you feel that the opener doesn’t work as it should, disconnect it, lift the door manually a few times, and then reengage the opener. If there is still a problem, you need garage door opener repair from pros.
- Sweep the area under the door daily if possible. Elements will keep flying and land at that spot and so the cleaner the space the better. Debris might confuse the reverse system and keep the door from closing down. That would be a problem too.
- Check the garage door weatherstripping with focus on the bottom seal since it becomes damaged faster. If it’s torn, it will allow rain and debris to enter your garage. Damaged seals will compromise the indoor temperatures. And that’s one more thing you don’t want during the winter.
