7 Tips to Prepare your Garage Door for Winter

Winter is right around the corner, which means that the effects of cold weather will begin soon. Michigan homeowners know that there are many tasks to complete before the snow and ice arrive, whether it’s finishing up summer projects or cleaning out the gutters to avoid issues during the freezing months.

If you want to keep your car out of the snow, your garage door is an essential part of your home. Protecting your garage door can help you extend its life and avoid surprises in the winter.

Why You Should Prepare your Garage Door for Winter

While there are probably many things on your to-do list as you prepare for winter, don’t cross off your garage door. Taking the necessary steps to prepare your garage door for winter can have a significant impact on your home as the weather turns colder. Here are four long-term benefits of winterizing your garage door.

Extend the Life of you Garage Door

Your garage door, like most things in your home, benefits greatly from regular maintenance. Taking care of your garage door helps it last longer. Because your garage door is a home appliance that you probably use every day, it wears out quickly. Taking good care of your garage door not only ensures convenience in the future, but it also helps you avoid the high cost of replacing a garage door.

Improve the Energy Efficiency of your Home

One of the goals of winterizing your garage door is to ensure that the insulation is thick enough to keep large amounts of cold air out. Interior garage walls are prone to letting in freezing air from the garage via the walls and the interior garage door. You can save money on heating by keeping your garage warm and preventing cold air from entering your home.

Shield your Pipes

Water pipes in some homes run through the garage. Cold air can cause these pipes to become brittle and burst, causing extensive plumbing damage. Burst pipes can also cause water damage to items in your garage. You can reduce stress by keeping your garage warm to avoid burst water pipes, which could have been easily avoided. Winterizing your garage door helps to extend the life of both the door and the contents of the garage, including the water pipes.

Safely store items

While burst water pipes can cause significant damage, you should also protect the items in your garage from another risk in the winter: moisture buildup and damage. Water from the snow fills the cold winter air. Moisture in the air has the potential to irreparably damage boxes of stored possessions, power tools, and even shoes. Items near or on the floor are most vulnerable to moisture buildup.

How to Winterize Your Garage Door

Winterizing is necessary regardless of the size or style of the door. When your garage door breaks in the dead of winter, it can be extremely inconvenient. Broken doors can become stuck open, exposing your home and belongings to the harsh winter weather. They can also become stuck closed, trapping you inside or outside until repairs are made.

Take the necessary precautions to avoid having a garage door that does not function when colder temperatures arrive.

Inspect The Garage

To begin your garage preparation, you must first observe the entire door in motion and at rest. You must determine whether it is in good working order or appears to be struggling. Start by observing the door opening and closing and asking yourself if everything is moving smoothly.

You must listen for any unusual sounds such as squeaking or scraping. Many doors that require maintenance will make a grinding sound or jerk. You may also notice that the door is not symmetrical when it is open and closed. All of these are indicators that you should pay attention to it and seek garage winterizing assistance.
Check Nuts, Bolts, Rollers, And Hardware

Because your garage is one of the most frequently used exits and entrances throughout the year, ensuring the hardware’s stability is critical. Each nut, bolt, and roller serves an important purpose in allowing your door to function properly.

In this step, you may need to focus on the small components of each angle of the door to tighten or replace anything. Many homeowners will need to replace the rollers or adjust the brackets and bolts with your tools.
Adjust and Lubricate Hardware

Since you’re already checking the hardware, the next step in your garage door winter maintenance is to make sure it’s lubricated. The lube will make the components run more smoothly during the seasonal change. It will also help to keep grinding and scraping to a minimum.

Most homeowners will hire a professional to do this because it can be time-consuming or redundant if you don’t know what exactly needs to be replaced, such as the springs or roller parts. You can, however, adjust the hardware while adding lubricant to the moving parts to make winterization easier.
Garage Door Winterizing With Weather Strips

A seal strip is located at the garage’s lower end or bottom. Check for cracks or tears to prepare it for winter. If you notice any damage to it, it is best to replace it.

The strip is installed on the door to keep outside elements such as dust and debris from entering your home. There are different types of door stripping, so make sure you get the right one. If you are unsure about the type of stripping you have, contact your local garage specialist for assistance in determining the correct one.
Make Sure The Door Is Safe

There are numerous components that allow the garage to function safely. Some examples include cables, rollers, and auto-reverse features. All of these contribute significantly to your safety while the door is open. Check on your garage door winter maintenance safety before it is too late and someone is injured to ensure they will function properly in the winter.

The rollers should be free of cracks and chips, and the best way to keep them safe is to keep them maintained or replaced twice a year.

The tension or garage is represented by the cables. They are responsible for raising and lowering the door. It is never recommended that anyone who is not a professional tamper with the cables, as they can cause serious injury or death. Simply look to see if there are any broken strands or damage near the roller brackets.

Finally, most garage doors have an auto-reverse feature that prevents the door from closing when an object or person is underneath it. If it does not recognize that an object is in the path of the door closing, this feature requires immediate maintenance.
Inspecting The Door And Clearing Out The Tracks

A professionally maintained door has completely cleaned tracks on both sides of the door. To ensure precise operation, they must be free of dirt and debris. A good rule of thumb is to keep the tracks clear of any random objects or debris.

Professionals will use a level to ensure the balance is stable when checking the tracks, but as always, take extreme caution when fiddling with or cleaning any part of your garage, or hire a professional to do the work.
Clean Out Your Garage

While many homeowners keep their garages clean, some do not consider it a priority prior to winter. If you want the door to last as long as possible, keep it and your garage clean. Maintaining and cleaning the door will help to avoid rust and chipped paint.

Check to see if you need to sand down the door or scrub the garage door for winter with a cleaner. This prevents particles from entering your garage motor and garage parts, which can later cause damage.

Get More Information or Assistance

The final piece of advice is to contact a garage specialist in your area. It is easier and safer to contact a professional who has experience and knowledge of how to maintain your door properly. Overall, they will be able to do it quickly and will have all of the necessary tools and parts to repair or manage anything related to the door so you won’t have to lift a finger.

As a result, if your garage is looking a little shabby, or if you want to get on a regular maintenance plan, call Right Way Garage Doors today.