Toledo’s harsh winter is returning this month. While it is exciting to welcome back the holidays and our snowcapped city, we can all agree that no one is looking forward to the cold, and neither is your garage door. The low temperatures can bend, contract, and potentially damage your garage door. Before this happens, prepare your garage door for the winter and save yourself time, money, and a headache.
Weatherstrip
Outside of your garage door itself, weatherstripping is the most important barrier protecting your garage from the outside elements. If your weatherstrips are damaged, it will leave an opening for cold air drafts to flow into your garage and allow for heat to escape. To prevent this, inspect your weatherstrips.
Signs to lookout for:
- Light “leaks” through – sunlight should not be in your garage if the door is closed
- Cracks and gaps
- Missing sections
In any case, if your weatherstrip is damaged, it is a cheap investment that can go a long way in weatherproofing your garage door.
Lubrication
Another precaution you can take to protect the more delicate parts of your garage door system is to lubricate your hinges, rails, and springs with an all-season lubricant. During the winter, your lubrication may begin to thicken as temperatures begin to drop. This could cause your door to begin sticking, eventually damaging various parts. Silicone-based lubricants are resilient to cold temperatures, but with time their efficiency may lower with wear and tear. Therefore, it is important to check for dirt and grime build-up on these components. If they are particularly dirty, it is time to clean these components and reapply some effective lubricant.
Good news: If you are a Precision Door customer, you do not have to worry about lubricating your rollers. We use a fully sealed bearing roller that is 100% maintenance-free!
Heating & Insulation
If your garage temperature drops too low, no amount of lubrication or weatherstripping will protect your door. With low temperatures, the metal on your garage door may begin to contract and bend. When it comes to keeping your garage warm, you can either insulate your garage to keep warm air in or heat your garage to a higher temperature.
Insulation can vary from placing insulation panels directly on your garage door to insulating your entire garage. For heating, a simple radiator will do in a pinch, but garages with ducting directed into them are the most efficient and clean method. Either way, a combination of both typically works best for extreme cold.
Keep Your Driveway Clear
Keeping your driveway clear of snow is also vital for protecting your garage door. If enough snow stacks up against your garage door, the weight of it may damage the door. Even with small amounts of snow, melting ice may freeze your door shut. To prevent this, try to keep at least one foot in front of your garage door clear. This can be done through shoveling and the use of salt. However, to help protect the metal components of your garage door, non-salt-based deicers are available for purchase for use in the garage door’s immediate area.
Hire the Experts Today
Any winter preparations are better than none. Before the flurries fly, try to accomplish a few of these or have the experts from Precision Door give your garage door a tune-up.
