With winter weather finally moving in, it’s time to consider winterizing your garage before the really cold weather arrives. You might not consider your garage door when prepping for winter, but it is the largest moving object in your home. To ensure your overhead door operates safely and reliably all winter, consider our seven tips for winter garage door maintenance.
Why You Need Winter Garage Door Maintenance
Garage doors and parts that aren’t prepped for winter are more likely to experience:
- Shrinking metal that leads to broken parts and warped tracks
- More cold air seeping in which affects the temperature of your living space
- Stuck garage doors from malfunctioning parts
- Foggy or blocked garage door sensors that prevent the door from operating
7 Tips for Winterizing Your Garage
1. Replace Weatherstripping
One of the first steps in winter garage door maintenance is replacing the weatherstripping on the bottom of your door. Over time, weatherstripping becomes brittle and shrinks, meaning more cold air can enter your garage. Replacing garage door weatherstripping helps you maintain the temperature control and energy efficiency of your garage.
2. Inspect Hinges, Tracks, and Springs
A simple task for winter garage door maintenance is examining your garage door’s hinges, tracks, and springs as it operates. Watch and listen from inside the garage as the door goes up and down, noticing if the door pauses or operates loudly. If you notice either issue, it’s best to schedule a garage door maintenance appointment with a professional.
3. Lubricate Garage Door Parts
Because many garage door parts – including the tracks, hinges, and springs – are made of metal, they experience shrinking and warping in cold weather. That’s why it’s important to lubricate all the moving parts on your garage door before winter. For the best results, use a non-silicone spray lubricant.
4. Consider Upgrading to an Insulated Garage Door
The best winter protection for your garage is an insulated garage door. While many garage doors only have sections made of steel with no backing, insulated garage doors are filled with polyurethane or polystyrene insulation to create a thorough barrier against cold weather. For cold Oklahoma winters, we always recommend upgrading to a garage door with insulation.
5. Replace or Add Lighting
Winter is not only cold, it’s also dark. To keep the exterior of your home and garage interior safe and comfortable, replace or add lighting. Even battery-operated lanterns for the exterior and a new lightbulb for the garage door opener will go a long way in giving your family comfort through the winter.
6. Store Summer Equipment Inside
As the cold weather sets in, remember to bring in all your summer equipment like lawnmowers, leaf blowers, and hedge cutters. It’s also a good idea to clean this equipment of summer debris and discard old gasoline so it’ll be ready for use when spring rolls back around.
7. Seal Your Garage Floor
Cold, ice, and slush put your garage floor through a lot during the winter. If your floor isn’t sealed against the elements, it’s more likely to crack and warp. To prepare for winter, reseal your garage floor with a no-slip protective coating or add snow mats.
Let Us Help with Garage Door Maintenance
If you need help getting your garage ready before winter sets in, call The Garage Door Company for garage door maintenance. We have years of experience as a leading garage door company in the Oklahoma Metro Area, and we’ve seen it all when it comes to winter garage door issues.
We can help you get ahead of those emergency situations by performing a full garage door maintenance appointment: replacing weatherstripping, checking and lubricating parts, and even installing an insulated garage door. Contact us to schedule your winter garage door maintenance appointment today!
