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Winter Garage Door Maintenance Tips

Picture this: you pull into your driveway after work on a cold, dreary evening, and you’re ready to get inside and cuddle up under a blanket. You click your garage door opener and… the door doesn’t move. You’re stuck out in the cold.

This can be a common occurrence during the winter months – but it doesn’t have to be.

When temperatures drop, garage doors tend to stick for a variety of reasons. And when temperatures get below freezing, doors can even freeze shut. With these three simple maintenance steps, you can safeguard your garage door from cold-weather stress and keep it in pristine condition, allowing you to come and go as you please year-round.

REMOVE ANY GUNK OR GREASE BUILD-UP ON THE GARAGE DOOR TRACK.

As you use your door more and more, over time, debris can build on the track and rollers, which interferes with how easily it opens and closes. Eventually, your tracks may become so clogged that your garage door can’t open and close at all, which can be pretty inconvenient when temperatures reach those winter lows. If yours is snagged, this could be a likely culprit. Start from inside the garage, and use a cloth to wipe away and remove any grease build-up.

LUBRICATE ALL MOVING PARTS.

Once you’ve cleaned the tracks, use regular grade machine oil (avoid heavy axle grease) to lubricate the rollers, track, hinges and bushings. These parts can stick and stall when it’s cold outside, and the lubrication will help get those parts operating smoothly again.

When you’re done, wipe away any excess oil to prevent additional build-up. We recommend that garage doors be cleaned and lubricated a few times a year, so getting into the practice now can only help the longevity of your door.

WIPE DOWN THE WEATHER-STRIPPING AND LOOK FOR CRACKS THAT NEED REPAIRS.

Since you use it every day, your garage door will wear down over time. Weather-stripping at the bottom of the door can often crack after extended use. Cracked weather-stripping can allow snow and ice underneath the door and inside your garage, which will cause the door to free shut.

To inspect the weather-stripping, wipe it down with a cloth, take note of any problem areas, and have an expert help with the repairs.

CONTACT OVERHEAD DOOR COMPANY OF BROOKFIELD!

If none of those three tips help solve your problem, you may need to consult with an expert. Please do not hesitate to contact our team for help! We’ll identify and fix your problem quickly, so you don’t get left out in the cold.