Your garage door is subjected to harsh elements all year round, making it susceptible to weather-related damage. Extreme temperatures, humidity levels, rainfall, or storms could wreak havoc with its functionality, necessitating costly repairs down the line. Understanding which weather conditions impact it can help take preventive steps and maintain smooth operations of the garage door.
1. Heat and Humidity Impact on Garage Doors within Summer Months
Metal components expand when exposed to extreme temperatures, leading to misalignments within your door’s framework and misalignments within its metal components.
Humidity can make wooden doors hard to open. Excess moisture leads to corrosion on metal parts; for prevention purposes, it may also lubricate metal components to minimize frictional losses and ensure smooth operation.
Maintain proper ventilation to reduce humidity build-up. Utilize a dehumidifier in order to protect wood against warping.
2. Cold Temperatures and Ice (Winter Months)
Influences:
Low temperatures contract metal parts, increasing breakage risks. Built-up ice can clog door openers or freeze them shut completely causing significant delays or straining on operation systems.
Weather stripping can crack, allowing drafts and moisture to enter. To minimize drafts and moisture build-up inside, preventative tips include using weatherproof lubricant on springs and rollers as well as keeping your garage door area free of snow or ice accumulations.
Replace worn-out weather stripping to enhance insulation.
3. Heavy Rain/Flooding Effect
Water damage weakens wooden doors and leads to mold growth, while corrosion damages metal components reducing durability over time.
Electrical components, including door openers, can become damaged in flood waters. To safeguard these components and avoid their loss altogether: ensure proper drainage to reduce build-up of water in low areas and apply waterproof sealants on wooden doors as soon as possible.
Check and replace rusted or corrosion-damaged metal parts immediately.
4. Wind and Storm Impacts
Strong winds can bend or dent weak garage door structures while debris from storms may damage panels and tracks of garage doors.
Power outages may leave you unable to open the garage door without backup systems in place, and could leave you trapped inside during an outage. Preventative Tips: Consider purchasing windproof or reinforced garage door options. Remove loose items that could become airborne before entering.
Install a battery backup system for your garage door opener.
Year-Round Garage Door Maintenance Tips
For optimal garage door performance, follow these maintenance practices throughout the year:
Regular Inspections – To identify potential areas for rust, misalignment, or wear and to determine any needed actions to minimize these potential issues. Lubricate Moving Parts – Prevents sticking and reduces strain on the opener. Seal & Insulate – Regulate temperature as well as protect from harsh climate.
Test Safety Features – Make sure that sensors and auto-reverse mechanisms function appropriately before testing safety features.
This article was written by a professional at 1 Stop Garage Doors. 1 Stop Garage Doors proudly serves homeowners and businesses with top-quality garage door installations and repairs. We install premium doors and openers from trusted brands, ensuring reliability and customer satisfaction. Our expert team provides cost-effective solutions, arriving with fully stocked trucks to handle repairs on the spot, including torsion spring replacements, drum and roller fixes, and general maintenance to keep your garage door functioning smoothly. Click here for more information.
The information provided on this website does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice; all information, content, and materials available on this site are for general informational purposes only.