Winter Maintenance Tips
Proper garage door maintenance is important throughout the year, but there are some additional concerns and considerations you should bear in mind in winter. With the extreme weather and frigid temperatures that come in the colder months, it’s important to prepare for these beforehand and keep your garage door in tip-top shape. In this article, you are going to learn how to prepare your garage door for winter. This can save you time and money, preserve your safety, and prevent many inconveniences that may result.
The garage door is so frequently used that it’s quite easy to take it for granted and forget all the important functions that it performs. Besides keeping your car enclosed and safe, it also keeps out intruders, be they people or pests. In the winter time when you’re doing everything to keep your home warm, the garage door can help or thwart your insulation efforts. As with any mechanical or electrical gadget, the more often it is used, the greater the chances that it may start to act up or not perform its various functions adequately. That’s why keeping up with garage door maintenance is extremely important.
To prepare your garage door for the cold weather, you must first understand the impact of this weather on the proper function of the garage door. Knowing what to expect and what could go wrong is vital because it allows you to do some of the regular inspection that your garage door needs. Thereafter, you need to understand the different types of garage door preparation measures that are required to address these different issues. Finally, you must get an expert to help you maintain and repair your garage door.
Special Winter Season Concerns
The cold season can affect your garage door in several ways. It’s very beneficial to understand the different parts of the garage door. Although there are quite a number of important parts to the system, some of the main stationary ones include the rail tracks, seals, the opener, brackets, fixtures, and vertical tracks. There are also various moving parts such as the actual garage door, pulleys, rollers, springs, and cables. All these parts may be affected by constant use or various effects from the winter season.
Every season has its own ills, and you are probably well aware of these. You know that in winter you have to ramp up your home’s heating and insulation and be careful how you drive along the icy roads. In winter, temperatures drop below freezing and the air is cold and humid. Some of the effects of these on your garage door include contraction of metal components in the system which hampers the proper, safe, and reliable function of the door. You can also expect increased cold currents flowing through the door seals. Another effect is that the door and its parts can become misaligned when the lubrication between them is eroded by the elements.
When the weather is extreme, you may experience a power outage. Since the garage door is dependent on electrical power for its operation, you need to know how to deal with such an event to avoid getting stuck. One final area to think about is the possible garage floor damage from all the additional moisture as well as the cold that is expected in winter.
Ways to Make Your Garage Door Winter-Ready
Now that you know what can happen to the different parts of your garage door in winter, you are in a better position to address these issues and risks. There are several things to look out for. You can attend to some of these, while for others, it’s best to bring in an expert. Here are the main ways to prepare your garage door for winter:
1. Routine inspection- There’s no substitute for a routine inspection to make sure that all the different parts of your garage system are working as they ought. The purpose of the inspection is to check that all the moving parts are functioning well, there is sufficient lubrication, and there is proper alignment. Should any unusual delays or sounds be experienced when opening or closing the garage door, there could be a fault or malfunction that needs attending to.
2. Moving parts maintenance- A garage door system has so many different moving parts that must work seamlessly for the door to work correctly. Moving parts need to be regularly inspected and maintained. In winter, when they are contracting, it’s even more important to check on their proper alignment.
3. Proper lubrication- Lubrication helps the different moving parts of the garage door system perform their roles in a smooth manner. Not having enough lubrication can, therefore, be potentially damaging to these parts. Lubrication also protects these metal components from damage from the winter elements.
4. Door seal maintenance- Having tight seals on your garage door is very important in winter. Besides keeping out all kinds of bugs, it is particularly important for maintaining your home’s temperature. Keeping warm is everything in winter, so your garage door may need to be re-sealed ahead of time.
5. Floor surfacing- Resurfacing or recoating the floor of your garage can help keep your garage safe and prevent excess retention of moisture which impacts not only the floor but also the walls and the garage door itself.
6. Manual operation- Finally, in case of a power outage, you should educate yourself on how to operate the garage door manually so that you’re not locked in or out. It’s quite easy to do once you get the hang of it, but if you are caught unawares, you might get stranded.
The Importance of Timely Maintenance and Repair Work
If you notice any problems or changes in how your garage door is operating, it’s best to have that looked at as soon as possible. The garage door is a safe and home-friendly tool, but if parts of it start to malfunction, that poses a safety concern. Garage door repair is not something you want to procrastinate especially as your garage door is something you probably use a number of times a day. As an addition to safety, keeping your garage clean and arranged is also very important throughout the year. With the increased slipping and sliding hazards of the wetter months, it helps to have a well-arranged space.
Even if the delays and issues with your garage door’s performance are not a safety risk, the unpredictability itself can be a huge inconvenience. A garage door is not something you think about too much. When you are going to work in the morning, you just want to start your car, open the garage door, and drive off. You don’t want to have to leave extra time to troubleshoot your garage door every time you are leaving or arriving at your home.
Besides safety and inconvenience, your garage door can also let in cold currents when the seals are loose as discussed above. This can drive up your home heating costs significantly. You should not waste any time to get your seals fixed and cut down on such inefficiencies. For safety, convenience, and cost-saving, make sure you keep up with all the needed garage maintenance and repair work.
Get Professional Assistance
Because of the safety concerns, it is recommended that you don’t attempt to repair or replace your garage door on your own. Even if you are generally handy around the house, you must be aware of the different electrical and mechanical components that make up the garage door system. The garage door itself is a sizeable metal object which is elevated. Operating it manually should, therefore, be done with great caution. The best way to get your garage door winter ready is to seek out professional garage door service. They can help you with all your inspection, maintenance, and repair work as well as answering your questions and increasing your knowledge about the garage door.
