Garage Doors Vs. Extreme Winter: Learn How To Win!

Garage doors, unlike many other parts of your house, are a feature that remains exposed to the extremities of weather and natural elements throughout the year. Without periodic maintenance, a garage door runs a high risk of losing functionality, especially during freezing weather.

Cold weather can cause a garage door to malfunction in many ways. Read on to find out more about these issues and how to fix them.

Garage door opener malfunctions

To check whether your garage door opener has malfunctioned, disconnect the opener and try opening the door manually. If the issue is related to the garage door opener, the door will open. If this is the case, try replacing the batteries in your garage door’s remote.

If the problem persists, then you will require professionals to diagnose the actual problem and resolve it in the most secure and warranted way.

Broken spring: a common cause of most garage door breakdowns.

If a garage door fails to open manually, or needs a whole lot of effort while lifting, then you may be dealing with a broken spring. This is most likely to happen during the chilly months as the cold causes spring wires to become brittle and weak, making them more vulnerable to breaking with a popping sound.

Garage springs are estimated to have 10,000 cycles, each cycle comprising of both opening and closing of the door. A garage door that has been used every day for seven years without requiring any spring replacements is more likely to experience a breakdown. This can easily be avoided by getting the springs replaced.

Garage door spring repair or replacement is something that should only be handled by professionals. An inexperienced attempt can cause serious damage to the door or may even result in a severe injury. So why risk it when the experts can do the job for you.

Dealing with a frozen garage door

Another common issue faced by homeowners is a frosted garage door. It usually happens when there is water around your garage door that ends up turning into snow due to low temperature, thus freezing the entrance to the garage floor.

To get rid of the ice that is keeping the door from opening, carefully chip away the ice, or use warm water to melt it. Once you can get the garage door moving, make sure to dry the surrounding areas by raising the door to prevent the issue from reoccurring. Waxing a garage door can prevent it from freezing again too.

Necessary precautions while unfreezing your door

Forcing the door open or breaking the ice may damage the weather seal, which protects the door from moisture, sand, etc. Furthermore, Ice melt or other remedies that seem like a quick fix can end up damaging your garage door, especially if it is made up of metal. If you choose to use Ice Melt anyway, make sure to clean the door thoroughly as soon as you can to prevent any severe damage.

Incomplete or rough movements of the door

A garage door that gets stuck midway while opening or opens with jerky movements may indicate an issue with lubrication. Cold temperatures can cause the lubricant within the system to harden, making it trickier for the door to open in one smooth motion.

Turn your garage door into an invincible barrier against cold and harsh weather. Get your garage door running again with a guaranteed efficiency that will last a long time.

Ran Keller is an experienced handyman who’s been working for Elite Garage Door Of Tacoma for 10 years. When he’s not fixing garage doors, he likes to share his repairment ideas and knowledge with others.