It’s not just “letting the cold air in” that you should be worried about in winter months when it comes to your garage door. Yes, the garage may not be as well insulated as other parts of your home, and that does make it colder. But the impact of winter on garage doors in Rancho Cordova, CA can also lead to some problems during the season and down the road.
From making it more difficult to open the door, to flat-out destroying the functionality of the door, there are many ways cold weather can impact your garage door in Rancho Cordova, CA. Here are three things to look out for, as well as how to avoid them and what to do if they should happen to you.
Broken springs
While it’s not exactly the frozen tundra of Green Bay’s Lambeau Field, the temperature can fall below freezing in Rancho Cordova from time to time. With the weather being as unpredictable as it has in recent years, who knows if it might get even colder during some of the more extreme cold snaps. The most common way cold weather can impact your garage door in Rancho Cordova, CA is from a broken garage door spring. Cold weather can exacerbate the normal wear and tear of this part of a garage door, so it’s a good idea to check on your springs each year.
It can be very difficult—and also extremely dangerous—to try and install new springs yourself, so it’s best to call a professional if they need to be replaced. It also might be a good idea to have a safety cable installed before a spring breaks.
Hardened grease
We all love a smooth garage door. It’s quiet, it’s easier to open and close and it just works better overall. We can thank the magic of grease for this, but it’s not a perfect solution. Grease can harden in cold weather and become less effective. You can combine that grease with a silicone-based lubricant to help keep your garage door swinging smoothly in cold weather. Just use a small brush—a firm toothbrush works fine—to work it into the spots it needs to lubricate.
Frozen door
If there’s water near the bottom of a garage door, it can freeze and cause the weather stripping to stick to the ground. If this happens, the strip may peel off when you open it, leaving that cold garage even less insulated. To avoid this, if you see ice on the ground outside of your garage door, gently pull the emergency cord to see if it will break the ice without stripping the seal. If that doesn’t work, scrape the ice off by hand or pour some hot water on it.
Get your garage door ready for winter
Basic maintenance should be enough to avoid any problems that the impact of winter can have on your garage door in Rancho Cordova, CA. Get in touch with Action Door Service today to take care of all your garage door needs!