Five Do-It-Yourself Garage Door Maintenance Tips for Winter
Your garage door is not impervious to weather. You need to be careful that it receives proper maintenance so you do not end up with a failure right when you are trying to leave for work or vacation. Fortunately, there is some maintenance you can accomplish on your own to preserve your overhead garage doors as winter hits Dodge City, KS. Here are five tips for winter:
- Keep them clean: Your garage doors face a constant assault from the elements. This leads to a buildup of dirt, grime and grease that can result in hinges rusting or clogging. Use gentle house cleaning products to keep the grime from taking over the exterior of your doors. Your routine should also include the windows, as dirt can compromise them as well.
- Check the weather=stripping: Include the weather-stripping at the bottom of your garage door as part of your cleaning process. While you are cleaning it, also check for cracks, tears, missing chunks and places where the stripping is detaching. The weather-stripping keeps your garage dry so winter elements and pests do not invade. If you find issues, fix them immediately so it can continue to do its job.
- Inspect the windows: When you clean your garage door windows, check for cracks in the glass and sealing. Any compromised sealing should be replaced before weather hits so the elements do not warp your garage door frame. Cracks in the glass could become a bad accident later. Replace glass as soon as possible if you notice that it is damaged.
- Watch the moving parts: The tracks and rollers must be maintained if they are to serve you all winter. Remove the grease buildup to prevent wear and tear on the opening and closing mechanisms. Do not adjust any cables or torsion springs as you risk injury from flying parts or worse, garage doors crashing down. If you have safety sensors, make sure they are lined up so your garage door does not end up ruining property or injuring people or pets. Keep stored objects away from the sensors.
- Change batteries: The last thing you want happening is to have the batteries in your garage door remote die just as you arrive home to pouring-down rain or snow. Consider changing batteries on a seasonal schedule or even put new ones in your remote right as the weather starts to go bad. On cold nights, bring all the remotes indoors. Batteries die quickly in cold weather, and your new batteries may not last as long if you leave the remote in a cold car all the time.
If your garage doors still malfunction despite maintenance steps, you need to call a skilled professional to make repairs or possibly replace your doors. Otherwise, you risk losing access to your garage from the outside.
Wes-Kan Siding Windows & Doors is your local overhead garage door dealer in Dodge City, KS. We are a locally owned business that has gained trust in the community. Contact us today if you require maintenance or repairs.
Categorised in: Overhead Garage Doors