How To Keep Your Garage Door Working This Winter
Love it, hate it or feel no strong feelings either way, Winter is coming, the evenings are getting darker and it now takes longer to get the car windscreen clear before we can set off on the school run, a sure sign that we are no longer in the warmer months and a clear warning sign to get ready for the cold and wet days that are undoubtedly on their way.
If you have a garage, then hopefully, you will have a garage door, which really does need your attention to make sure that it survives the winter months and more importantly, continues to operate during those colder times.
Of course, it is a bit hard to get your garage door a coat, hat and gloves and you will probably not really be willing to take it off and store it away for a few months, so, we are happy to offer a few practical things that you can do to keep your garage door working over the colder months and to make sure that it survives for another year of operation use.
Lubrication – Make sure to keep all of the moving parts lubricated with the correct type of lubrication and always be careful to not overdo the application, as too much lubricant can be harmful to the door in the long run. Ask your local garage door expert what you should be using and how you should be applying it, but by stopping working movements seizing up can keep your garage door working well.
Keep Using It – Like anything, if you do not use your garage door for a month or so, then some of the working movements and mechanical operations can start to seize up, especially in cold and damp weather. Try to open the door every day, or ever few days if possible, which not only keeps it in working order but also allows you to spot issues and deal with them accordingly.
Clean The Weather Stripping – Use a clean cloth and some water to make sure the weather stripping is clean and still intact in all places, as if you clean it and find little cracks or damage, then you should be seeking to get this replaced to prevent not only further damage to the door, but to also stop drafts and water getting into your garage.
Make Sure It Sealed / Painted – Depending on the material of your garage door, you might be able to get special paint or sealant that can prevent weather based damage to the material of the door. Wood especially should always be painted with weather proof paint, but even many other types of garage door material can also be sealed to give it more protection against the cold and damp weather than can wear away at it.
Keep An Eye On It – As we discussed in the “keep using it” point, the best thing you can do to prevent long term damage is to deal with issues as and when they occur, rather than letting them hang around and become major problems. Throughout the year, if you spot a problem, get it fixed, which will then keep the door in good working order and will help to further prevent winter based issues escalating any damage.
The main thing to think about with your garage door, is that if you can prevent issues and damage from occurring then you have a much better chance of it working throughout the winter and also suffering no long term damage as we say goodbye to another year and welcome in the next. Prevention of damage is always better than having to repair it, which can be costly or even involve a brand new door, so keep an eye on your garage door and deal with problems before they become issues to keep it in tip top shape.
