Garage Door Problems That Surface During Winter
Wintertime is just around the corner, so the chances of your garage door freezing or not functioning properly are high. Your garage door can face various problems, but those problems don’t disappear once the summer heat has gone. Whether it’s the result of faulty materials or improper installation, garage doors experience common issues year-round. Winter can be especially rough on your garage door, as low temperatures might cause potential damage. This blog will highlight some garage door problems during winter and how to solve them.
Common Garage Door Problems During Winter And They Affect Your Garage Door?
Here are some common garage door problems during winter that you should be aware of:
Ground Freeze
When temperatures drop below freezing, water in the soil can freeze and expand, lifting or cracking concrete slabs and curbs. This phenomenon is called frost heave and can affect your garage door and its tracks if they’re not correctly insulated. To prevent this from happening, homeowners should insulate their garage door tracks with foam board or other materials that will keep them warm enough to prevent this from becoming an issue. This will help homeowners minimise their garage door problems during winter.
Ice Between Panels
Ice between panels can also be a cause garage door problems during winter months. If water freezes between panels on your garage door, they will become stuck together, making opening and closing difficult. Keeping an eye on this problem in an area with cold winters is essential because it can cause severe damage to your door system if left unchecked for too long!
Damaged Weather Stripping
When you live in a cold climate, your garage door may be exposed to harsh weather conditions. This can cause the weather stripping around your door to become damaged, leading to water seeping into your garage. This can cause damage to the wood surrounding your door and cause mold or mildew to grow inside.
Warped Metal
If you stay in a cold climate, you may find that the metal on your garage door has warped over time due to exposure to the cold air. This causes the rollers to drag along your garage door as it opens and closes, leading to more friction when opening and closing it. A warped metal frame also increases wear on other parts of the system.
Broken Springs
Springs are the most common component that is broken in garage doors. A broken spring can cause your door to not close or open properly, which can cause additional damage to your springs and other components of your door, including your opener and tracks.
Spring replacement is easy if you have the appropriate tools and know how to do it properly. If you do not have experience, it would be better to call professionals instead of taking risks by doing it yourself with improper tools and techniques that could harm you.
Lubrication Issues
Lubrication is another common issue with garage doors during winter months. Your garage door could become stuck or break down entirely without proper lubrication. The garage door track needs lubrication for smooth operation, and this can be done once every season or so, depending on how frequent you use your garage door. Lubrication helps prevent squeaking sounds because moving parts make noise when there is no lubricant between them. Failure to lubricate tracks can lead to garage door problems during winter over time since they will rub against each other without a protective layer of oil between them.
Motor Problems
One of the common garage door problems during winter is the motor of your garage door failing to start or stop properly. This is caused by a faulty circuit board or damaged wiring. If you notice that your garage door is not responding to your commands, it may be time for a new motor.
Damaged Sensor
Another common garage door problems during winter months are damaged sensors. Since cold weather affects the performance of all equipment, it can also affect your sensors. If your sensor is not working as well as it should, this may be because of temperature changes and may require replacement instead of repair.
Water Damage
If you live in a cold climate, you’re probably well aware of how much water comes into contact with your garage door. The snow, ice, and rain that come with winter can cause water damage, mildew, rot on the wood paneling, or even rust on your garage door tracks. To prevent this, keep your garage door well-maintained and the interior dry.
Damaged Weather Stripping
Another common problem you might face during winter is damaged weather stripping. When the weather stripping around your garage door starts to deteriorate due to extreme weather conditions, it can result in air leakage through your garage door track and other areas, which may result in higher energy bills and lower efficiency levels for your home’s heating system.
How to Keep Garage Warm in Winter
You might have to work to keep your garage warm in winter. Here are some tips for keeping it warm:
Clean Your Garage
The first step to keeping your garage warm in winter is to ensure it is free from dust and debris. If you have a garage door, clean and lubricate the hinges regularly, this will help prevent dust from collecting on them, which can decrease efficiency and cause them to stick.
Check Your Weather Stripping
Weather stripping around the doors and windows is essential to keep garage warm in winter. Make sure that the inside seal is intact and not damaged or missing. If your weather stripping has yellowed with age, replace it with new weather stripping.
Consider Adding Insulation
If you stay in a cold climate and wish to keep your garage warm in the winter, you may want to consider adding insulation between your walls and ceilings, and floors if they are not already insulated. You can also add insulation in areas where pipes are exposed or if there are gaps around electrical outlets or air vents due to poor installation or damage over time.
Seal Other Air Gaps
The top of a garage door is just one-way air seeps into your garage during the winter. Other common sources include gaps around electrical outlets and lights and any holes in your walls or ceiling. Use caulk or weather stripping to seal these gaps and around windows and doors that lead into your garage.
Consider Adding a Heater
If you have trouble staying warm in the winter, consider adding a space heater to your garage. Space heaters are designed to produce localised heat rather than an entire room like central heating systems, so they’re ideal for garages where you spend most of your time working or playing outside. They also cost less than installing central heat or even installing additional insulation!
5 Steps To Add a Garage Fan to Garage Door Track
Here are tips to add a fan to your garage door:
Attach the fan bracket to the track
You will need a drill with a Phillips head bit to do this. You will want to ensure that you use a power drill because it is easier and faster. Make sure that you are going slowly and carefully, as well.
Screw the fan bracket to the track
Once you have attached the fan bracket to the track, you can screw it into place by using a Phillips head screwdriver or another similar tool. This will ensure that your fan stays secure on your garage door track and does not fall off when using it!
Install the fan rod
Assemble the fan rod by inserting one end into one side of your garage door opener bracket and tightening it down with two screws. Slide on another bracket to parallel your other bracket, then tighten down all four screws. This will help stabilise your fan rod and keep it from coming off during use.
Adjust the height of the fan
The fan needs to be high enough to clear your garage door when it opens and low enough to avoid hitting any obstructions if you own an automatic garage door opener that can open windows or doors while traveling up or down your driveway. Check your owner’s manual to see if there’s a recommended height range for your ideal garage door opener model before deciding on a final placement location for your ceiling fan. If you don’t have an owner’s manual, or if it doesn’t include this information, make sure that your ceiling fan is at least 3 feet above any obstructions in front.
Secure the installation
Securely attach one end of each cable to a screw hole on the wall, then thread them through the pulley system on top of the door and attach them to their corresponding holes in the back of the motor housing; make sure the red wire connects to the red wire. Tighten all nuts securely, so cables don’t slip off pulleys as you raise the lower door.
How To Avoid Rusting Of Garage Door?
If you’re looking to maintain and preserve the look of your garage door, it’s essential to keep it free from rust. Rusting can be caused by many things, such as exposure to moisture, direct sunlight, and extreme temperatures. But there are ways that you can prevent your garage door from rusting. These include:
Using a salt-free ice melt
If you stay in an area where snow and ice are more common during winter, you might want to use a salt-free ice melt. This type of ice melt will help prevent your garage door from rusting while at the same time keeping it looking clean and new looking all year round.
Washing regularly
You should wash your garage door every few weeks with warm water and soap to remove any dirt or grime accumulated on its surface over time, as this can cause rusting over time if not removed regularly. You can also use a mild detergent which will help remove any grease or oil stains from the surface of your garage door and remove any other dirt or grime that may have accumulated on its surface over time.
High-quality paint
The next step in preventing garage door rust is choosing the right paint. You should choose one that has high quality and will last long without getting damaged or scratched easily. Good quality paint will also protect other parts of the garage door from getting scratched when someone brushes against them accidentally while entering or exiting their cars.
Do I Have to Replace a Dented Garage Door, or Can I Leave It?
Even though it might seem like an easy decision to replace a dented garage door, don’t make the mistake of pushing the repair off until later. The more time you wait, the more likely you will cause further damage and experience additional costs.
The first thing to consider when weighing whether or not to replace a dented garage door is if there is any structural damage. If the dent is causing sagging or pulling on the panels, it’s time for repair. If not, you can probably get away with replacing the damaged panel and leaving everything else alone.
If you decide to keep your existing door, there are things that you need to be aware of before making a final decision:
The more dents in your garage door, the more likely there will be more problems down the road. While this isn’t always a rule of thumb, it’s worth considering before deciding how much work you want to put into repairing your garage door panel.
You’ll also want to ensure that your garage door opener has enough clearance to move freely while opening or closing your garage door. If not, then it will cause additional strain on other parts of your garage door system.
Conclusion
There is a reason why it is so essential for you to hire a qualified professional to fix your garage door problems during winter. A truly great company should offer you a guarantee that the work they do and the parts they replace will be free from defects for as long as you still own your home. If they don’t offer such a guarantee, take that as a sign that perhaps their work may not be of the best quality, which isn’t worth risking by trying to save some money on repairs.
