Winter can be hard on a lot of things, and that list includes your garage door. However, winter is a time that you definitely want your garage working so that you can get out of the cold, snowy weather. You can prepare your garage for winter so that you can keep it opening and closing all year long.
Change Batteries
The cold can really affect the batteries in your garage door opener remote. The colder the temperature, the faster the batteries can be drained. If you keep the remote in your car, you need to be aware that the drain can happen. One way to prevent that from happening is changing the batteries right before winter sets in. The stronger and fresher the batteries are, the longer they will last.
Add Weather Stripping
Another thing that you can do to prepare your garage door for the winter is to add new weather stripping along the bottom of the garage door. The weatherstripping will help keep snow, ice, and cold air from getting into the garage. Keeping the snow and ice from getting into your garage will also help keep the bottom of the garage door from freezing to the concrete floor.
Lubricate Moving Parts
You might not think that you have to lubricate your garage door before winter, but doing so will help to keep your garage door opening and closing properly. Metal contracts in the cold, which makes everything tighter. The additional lubrication will keep all the parts moving even after all the metal pieces and parts get tighter. Make sure that you use a lubricant that is designed for garage doors.
Check the Sensors
Your garage door should have sensors so that the door can stop and reverse course if something is detected in its tracks. Snow and ice can very easily get on the sensors and clog them, which could keep your door from closing all the way. Check your sensors regularly to make sure that they are clear. You should also check them every time a cold snaps move through your area to ensure they work properly.
Test the Balance
You should also check to make sure the door’s balance is good. If the door isn’t balanced correctly and the area around the door ices over, the ice can keep your door from opening.
You can check the balance by unplugging the automatic opener and opening the door manually so that it is halfway up. If the door is balanced correctly, it will stay at that middle point. If it goes up or down, you probably have problems with the tension of your garage springs.
Check the Seals
Seals run around your garage door and work to keep the cold air out. You want to make sure that the seals are good and tight because that will keep your garage warmer. Good seals will also keep ice melt from settling in around the door, which in turn keeps ice and water from getting inside. You want to keep water away from various joints and parts of your garage door so that it doesn’t freeze.
It doesn’t matter if it’s the beginning of winter or the dead middle of the cold season, keep all of these tips in mind so your garage door opens smoothly and reliably.
If you are having any problems with your door, call us at Raynor Door Company. We can come out, diagnose any issues your garage has, and then quickly repair them so that you don’t have to worry about being stranded outside of your home during the winter. We’ll make sure your garage is reliable and safe.