Arvada winters can be tough on a garage door. After the warm summers and high temperatures come the cold, dry winters. Fluctuations in temperatures like that can test even the hardiest of garage doors and many will be left with battle scars come the spring. But the smart homeowner knows that by doing a little bit of prep work before the temperatures start to plummet, they can save them from the worst of it.
Our Arvada garage door installation and repair team has operated in the area for almost 20 years. In that time we’ve learned a few tricks on how you can prepare your door for winter. Keep reading to find out what we think you should do.
Our Winter Prep Checklist for Garage Doors
The following steps are all fairly easy to do, require very basic equipment, and are usually safe for the homeowner to carry out. But if you are unsure about any of the steps outlined, it might be better to leave them to a qualified garage door repair professional.
First Step - Simply Observe
You won’t need any fancy tools for this, nor do you need any specialist knowledge. All you need are your eyes and ears. That’s all. When opening and closing your garage door does it feel as though it moves smoothly? Or is it a bit of a struggle? You should also pay attention to whether there are any strange noises produced when the door is in motion.
The smoother and quieter your door is, the better overall condition it’s in. If you notice noise and a motion that is jerky and awkward, that’s a sure sign that it needs some TLC.
Tighten Things Up
When your garage door opens and closes, it causes a certain amount of vibration. That whole process likely occurs thousands of times over the course of a year. The bolts do not stay as tightly secured as the day your garage door installation was completed. They eventually work themselves free, which doesn’t just worsen performance, it can actually make the door unsafe. So grab a wrench and tighten up any hardware that you can access. If you heard noises when the door was in motion during step one, this will go some way to silencing them.
Apply Lubricant to Moving Parts
This is a very easy part of garage door maintenance. It takes just a few minutes per year and can prolong the lifespan of your door by years, preventing the need for garage door repair. Apply a spray-on lubricant to all moving parts, and wipe away any excess. Lubricant is vitally important as when not lubricated these moving parts rub against each other and will wear out much quicker. Often this results in a stuck garage door. Your winter prep check is a good time to check in on this.
Replace the Weather Stripping If Necessary
Over the course of a year, changes in temperature and exposure to different weather conditions can cause the weather stripping to become worn and cracked. If the stripping is now in a bad way, it won’t be able to do its job properly, and the moist, cold air will make its way inside your garage during the winter. That can really bring the temperature of your Arvada home down. Not much fun if you use it as a workshop! Check its condition and replace it if necessary.
Clean the Tracks
The tracks that your garage door rollers run up and down to open and close the door must be kept clear at all times. If there’s an obstruction, the rollers may get jammed and prevent the door from fully opening or closing. Sometimes things like leaves and twigs can get inside these tracks, so take a minute to make sure nothing is blocking them.
Assess the Condition of the Exterior of Your Door
It’s not just the condition of the moving parts located on the interior of your garage that you have to worry about though. You should also carefully examine the exterior of the door to check for any weak spots that the harsher weather is likely to exploit. In the case of wooden garage doors, watch out for water damage and warping, in addition to any paint that is cracked or peeling. If you see this, it may need to be sanded down, repainted, and resealed. Cracked panels will need replacing. In the case of metal doors, it’s rust that you need to watch out for, which would need to be sanded down, before priming the area and repainting it. In addition to checking for any damage, it’s also a good idea to give it a thorough clean down with an all-purpose cleaner to remove all of the dirt and grime that has built up throughout the year.
Our Arvada Garage Door Pros Are Here For Next Level Winter Prep
The above list constitutes a basic winter preparation checklist. If you want to take your prep to the next level and give your garage door the full works, call our garage door repair team. Our experienced garage door repair pro can carry out additional tasks such as checking that the door is properly balanced, replacing any rollers that are worn out, as well as checking the condition of cables and springs (replacing any if necessary). These are not things that should be done by someone that is not qualified. Garage doors are potentially dangerous in the wrong hands.