Have you ever tried to open your garage door one winter morning, but it wouldn’t budge? Worse yet, has your garage door ever been so stuck that it held your car and your paycheck hostage?
Chances are if you live in an area where the temperatures get frigid, your garage door was adversely affected by the cold weather.
Here are some ways the winter weather can freeze garage doors and how you can equip yourself with the right tools and know-how to troubleshoot this issue before things get out of hand.
The Cold Meddles with Metal
In the winter, all metals exposed to the cold are at risk of seizing up. Your garage door consists of many metal parts, including springs, tubes, drums, cables, tracks, rollers, the garage door opener, the garage door seal, and the list goes on.
The trick to fighting back against the cold is to use a lubricant, particularly a silicone-based lubricant spray. These are great because they reduce friction between moving garage door parts, and they don’t leave behind any gunk or residue.
Thickened or Hardened Grease
Cold weather can harden grease, so a grease solvent and a small brush will certainly come in handy. The grease solvent should be applied while the brush should be used to work into the cracks.
Once the grease is cleaned away, then the silicone-based lubricant should be applied to the tracks, rollers, and other moving parts.
Swelling Frames and Water Damage
Wooden garage doors might look nice, but the downside is that they can be difficult to maintain. One of the most common issues associated with them during the winter is they become wet or dampened, and the door frames swell.
Long periods of friction between the door and its frame can lead to only one thing: a stuck door.
To avoid this, try to prevent your garage door from getting wet by regularly clearing your gutters of debris.
Broken Springs
All things spring-related have a life-cycle, including bed frames, door locks, and of course, garage door springs.
Cold weather has a knack for shortening that life-span. The reason is springs don’t like to contract for too long. It weakens them over time.
Springs are meant to help balance the weight of the garage door, but they start to fail after undergoing wear and tear over a long period of time.
Do not attempt this on your own. Replacing broken or worn-down springs should be performed only by a trained professional.
Why All Issues Regarding Garage Doors Should be Left to the Pros
When garage doors refuse to work, there could be many other issues involved unrelated to the weather. This is why it’s always best to hire a trained professional instead of tackling the issue yourself.
Please be sure to contact us via our garage door repair services page and we’ll be sure to assist you right away. We’re a family-owned business and we love what we do, treating our clients with the utmost care and respect.
