How To Prepare Your Garage Door for Winter
With the cold weather now truly upon us, it’s a good time to think about getting your home in order so it’s ready to cope with the lower temperatures.
Many household objects and appliances can struggle in the colder weather, so it’s always worth preparing them to cope. This includes garage doors, especially as many people will be using them regularly to store their car during the winter.
There are a number of things you can do to ensure your garage door remains at its best at this time of year, and we’ve put together a guide to help you prepare.
Inspect it for problems
The first thing you need to do in the winter is to give your garage door a thorough inspection. It’s always worthwhile to open and close it a few times, giving particular attention to the garage door’s components.
Whether you have a roller garage door, a traditional up and over or even a sectional door, it’s important that all of the parts are working as they should be. If you notice any jerky movement, unusual noises or just something that doesn’t look quite right, you may have an issue with the garage door. If this is the case, you should address it as soon as possible as it’s likely to get worse as the winter wears on.
Get in touch with a garage repairs and servicing company and they can assist with any necessary garage maintenance you may need. Even if you don’t notice any faults or problems, you should still continue to carry out the rest of the checks in this guide in case any other problems crop up.
Make sure it’s sealed and insulated
Once you’ve done an initial inspection, the next step is to check your garage door is appropriately sealed and insulated. If your garage is effectively sealed, then it means water will be kept out – which is hugely important when the rain and snow become more frequent. The last thing you want is melted snow or ice seeping into your garage, so check that there are no gaps down the sides or bottom of your garage where water can sneak into.
Switch off the lights when you do this, if you see any strips of light around the edges of the garage door, the chances are it needs resealing.
As well as checking the garage door is sealed, you should also ensure effective insulation is in place. During the extremely cold months, insulation will prevent both cold air from getting in and warm air from getting out. A significant amount of heat can be lost through your home’s garage if it’s not properly insulated, costing you money on heating bills.
So, if you do not have an insulated garage door or roller shutters in place, it might be a good idea to make the change as winter approaches.
Keep it clean
At SAA Industrial & Garage Door Specialists, we always advocate for regular cleaning of your garage door. Not only does a pristine garage door help maintain a great first impression of your home but it enhances security, too.
When the winter weather sets in, it can be harsher on your door than usual. Some metal doors can become rusty or corroded, whereas wooden ones are prone to warping. If left unattended, these problems can end up being a security risk as well as an eyesore.
Regular cleaning can decrease the likelihood of this, but don’t forget to also give the door’s tracks and rollers a good clean, too. These components impact how easily your garage door operates, and a build-up of dirt or debris can cause movement to become impaired.
The last thing you want in the dead of winter is for your garage doors to be stuck open, so staying on top of cleaning and garage maintenance is a good way to avoid this.
Lubricate metal parts
Once the garage door and relevant parts have been cleaned, lubrication can also be beneficial.
Lubricating parts such as rollers, tracks, hinges and springs is not just a winter activity, we’d actually recommend this is done at least twice a year. Regular lubrication can add years of life to a garage door, keeping it performing at its best.
It’s important to use specialised lubrication when doing this, and most garage door companies can provide you with this. Make sure the area you’re lubricating is clean prior to applying the solution, wiping away any dirt before you begin.
Next, place a small amount of the lubricant on the garage door’s moving parts. This should help keep them running smoothly at all times.
If you’d prefer a professional approach, then the team at SAA Industrial & Garage Door Specialists can assist with garage door lubrication as part of our repairs and servicing offering.
At SAA Industrial & Garage Door Specialists, we provide great garage door solutions to customers across Brentwood, Waltham Abbey & Essex, providing them with the supply, installation and maintenance of a variety of garage doors and shutters. Bringing a bespoke service to all of our customers, get in touch with the team today to find out more.
