Winter is a beautiful season, but that beauty comes with challenges concerning your garage door. As the temperature drops, cold weather can affect several systems in your garage door and cause many problems if left to rot. We get it — at Wild Rose Garage Doors, we know how critical a working garage door is in the cold months! Let’s look at how the cold will impact the proper operation of your garage door and how to prevent it.
Cold Weather Can Lead to Broken Garage Door Springs
Garage door springs are responsible for balancing the weight of the door. Cold weather can make the metal in the springs brittle, which makes a break more likely. A broken spring could leave your garage door inoperable, trapping you inside or outside your garage.
Prevention Tip: Schedule maintenance regularly to inspect and lubricate your springs. Spray some high-quality lube on the springs—specifically one intended for cold weather—to retain their flexibility.
Weather Seals Can Harden or Get Brittle
The weather stripping at the top of your garage door can keep out cold air, moisture, and debris. However, in frigid temperatures, this material can harden, crack, or lose its effectiveness, creating drafts and increasing energy costs.
Prevention Tip: Regularly Check the Weather Stripping and Replace it if worn. For better durability, upgrade to a weather-protective seal.
Tracks & Rollers Can Freeze Or Stick
Cold weather causes the metal tracks and rollers to contract. A buildup of ice in these areas can also make the door stick.
Prevention Tip: Clean debris off the tracks Silicone → keep it from sticking and keep it moving smoothly
Garage Door Openers Can Have Trouble When It’s Cold
A typical garage door opener is temperature-sensitive. Batteries of remote controls can go flat faster, and the motor may have to work harder to raise the door — significantly if the cold stiffens other parts.
Prevention Tip: Change the batteries in your remote control before the winter starts. If your opener is on the fritz, get it serviced and make sure it’s in peak working condition.
Ice and Snow Can Restrict Garage Door Movement
Snow and ice accumulation around the garage door can block movement, causing the door to get stuck or not close completely. This compromises security and energy efficiency.
How to Prevent It: Clear snow and ice around your garage door. Some shoveling now can save you some headaches later.
Moisture Can Lead to Rust and Corrosion
Winter moisture, mixed with road salt, causes rust and corrosion on metal parts such as hinges, springs, and tracks. This can weaken the components and impact the door’s efficiency over time.
Preventative Measure: Wipe Down Metal Parts Regularly to Remove Moisture and Salt. To protect against rust, a protective spray from leading manufacturers can be applied.
Rely on Wild Rose Garage Doors for the Winter Maintenance
Winter weather has once again made it to the Midwest.
Wild Rose Garage Doors provides professional maintenance and repair services to keep your garage door in shape year-round. Our trained professionals can detect issues before they become major and fix them so your door runs smoothly, no matter how cold outside.
