Why Winter Is Tough On Your Garage Door

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Late fall is a good time to have your garage door serviced and prepared for winter. Winter can be hard on garage doors when the temperatures get cold. By making sure your door is in good shape, you might prevent some problems from happening. Here's why winter is a tough season for your garage door.

Metal Contracts When It's Cold

One problem with cold weather is that it causes metal to contract. This movement can affect how well your garage door functions. Cold weather may even play a role in the springs breaking, especially when they're old. Having to replace garage door springs is pretty common during the winter months. If your door is old and has worn springs, you may want them replaced before winter sets in. You can also have them lubricated which may help protect them from the cold.

The Track May Freeze

While it's important to have your door lubricated, the track and rollers may need it too so the parts won't freeze. Lubricants make your door glide smoothly and they also slow down freezing. If your door struggles to open, check the tracks. Pry out pieces of ice and debris if there are any so the tracks are clear. If the tracks are full of ice, you may need to thaw them out before the door will open. There might even be ice between the garage door panels that keeps the door from operating properly. Try to thaw it with a hair dryer so the temperature change doesn't happen too fast and cause damage.

The Door May Freeze To The Ground

When it's possible, you should sweep snow away from your garage door and put salt on the ground to prevent ice. That might not be possible if there's a big snow or ice storm during the night. You might wake up to find your garage door frozen to the ground. You might be able to work it loose by tapping at the bottom of the door and chipping away at the ice. If the weatherstripping is stuck in the ice, it might be damaged when you try to free the door. If that happens, you'll want to replace it right away so you can keep cold air out of your garage.

Although a garage door can give you problems when temperatures get cold enough, it's still nothing compared to the problems you face if you park your car outside. At least in a garage you don't have to chip snow and ice off of your car. A garage is a nice thing to have during the winter, and if you have the door serviced in the fall, you might make it through the season without any major difficulties. For more information, contact companies like Smartek Garage Doors.

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8 May 2018