When winter comes, everyone faces the hassles of shoveling the driveway or putting on thermal wear just to walk down the street. Every car owner would agree that winter exposes vehicles to the risk of rust and other damages. However, if your garage door is not readied for the winter season, storing your car inside might not have that much of a difference. It is important to make sure your garage door is adequately prepared for winter to ensure it maintains its smooth operation and avoids unwanted instances of accidents and malfunction.
Water and Cold Damages
Due to the decreasing temperatures and the increase in air moisture, there are a lot of things that can happen to your garage door during the cold winter season. If its tracks are dusty or dirty, moisture can get inside them and turn things grimy and sticky, which will impede the door's performance. If water gets inside your garage and ends up freezing, it could prevent the opener's drive and even the door itself from moving. What's more, metal tends to contract the colder it gets, which could also make things stick.
Ways To Prepare
One way to get ready for winter is to invest in an insulated garage door panels and parts. Insulation is important as it will help you maintain a warmer temperature inside your garage. Expanding polyurethane is often used to insulate garage doors by injecting the liquid into the gaps between the panels. Other methods use polystyrene sheets which cover the inner part of the door, preventing the outside temperature from seeping in. This will increase the door's weight, however, which means the opener will need to be able to sustain this added load.
Weather Seals are Just as Important
If you haven't already, make sure to get quality weatherstripping for your garage door. These weather seals will keep rain, hail, and snow out of your garage, which will help you maintain a dry indoor environment and reduce the chance of your door getting stuck. If you already have these installed, give them a thorough inspection to make sure no wear and tear damage has compromised their condition.
Things to Do During Winter
You can help minimize the damage to your garage doors during winter by being cautious and observant. Try to routinely examine your door and its various parts to make sure they aren't sustaining unnecessary damage. Doing this will let you know when to call our technicians at Garage Door Repair Georgetown for professional assistance.