Your garage door is the largest moving facility in your entire home. With winter around the corner and temperatures are set to drop, there may not be a worse time for your garage door to stop working. Fortunately, there are a number of preventative measures that you can perform to help keep your garage door running smoothly all season long.
These are 6 tips to prepare your garage door for the cold.
1) Lubricate Moving Parts
Cold winter weather and moisture can cause your garage door rollers, tracks, springs and hinges to stiffen to prevent your garage door from opening and closing easily. Using an evenly coated layer of oil-based lubricant on all of your garage door’s metal moving parts will ensure your garage door doesn’t stick and moves freely with no problems. Be sure to wipe away any excess lubricant to keep it from dropping onto the floor.
2) Replace Weather Stripping
The rubber weather seal strip on the bottom of your door can become brittle or cracked over time. As temperatures drop and snow begins to fall, there’s never a more important time to maintain your garage door’s weather stripping. It’s vital to replace this immediately to keep adverse weather out of your home, as weather stripping acts as a seal between your garage door and its opening.
Weather stripping prevents moisture and cold air from seeping inside, and prevents mould from developing. Be sure to closely inspect the weather stripping around the frame of your garage door for anything loose or ragged, and have it repaired or replaced by professional garage door experts.
3) Replace The Rollers
Rollers should be inspected at least twice a year, with replacements recommended for every seven years or so. It’s even more important to do so, if the garage door is used many times a day. If your rollers are worn, chipped or cracked, be sure to get them replaced immediately.
4) Inspect Your Garage Door Opener
Extreme weather conditions during winter are known to wreak havoc on your garage door opener or external keypad. Cold weather can drain the battery of your garage door opener faster, so it’s crucial to replace your batteries in advance, in case you get stuck out in the cold.
If your garage door opener or keypad is looking worse for wear, it may be time for an upgrade. Be sure to get in touch with garage door professionals to help you choose the right one for you.
5) Organise Your Garage
Heavy snow and other adverse conditions can cause your garage door to become stuck due to a buildup of ice and snow. These difficult conditions can make it tough to open your garage door and reach much-needed tools like your shovel.
Be sure to remember to store essential winter items and tools at the front and centre of your garage. It’s also wise to consider installing hooks and shelves in your garage near the entrance of your home for added convenience.
6) Examine Your Door Regularly
One of the best ways to maintain your garage door is to regularly inspect your door for anything not quite right. Steel doors can have rust spots that need to be sanded, primed and painted, while wood doors need to be checked for water damage and warp, as well as chipped and peeling paint.
Be sure to also regularly wash your garage door with a mild all-purpose cleaner to help keep your garage door looking great at all times.
If you’re not prepared, winter can be a particularly troublesome time for your garage door. The last thing you want is for your garage door not to be functioning properly when you need it most.
If you’re looking for garage doors in Adelaide, AllStyle Garage Doors & Window Shutters takes pride in providing fully licensed and qualified installation and repairs. Get in touch with us today to find out about our custom garage doors in Adelaide, or how our friendly and professional team can help you.