A broken garage door is more than an inconvenience because it leaves the home open to harsh winter elements. That is why it is necessary to maintain garage doors when the weather turns cold.
Here are a few tips:
Wipe down weather stripping and check for cracks
The weather strip might get frozen to the pavement. If this happens, you will face trouble opening the door, especially if there are cracks in the stripping. Dry your weather stripping to avoid this issue altogether. If you notice cracks, they have to be fixed right away.
Clean dirt from the door, track, and rollers
As you use your garage door, dirt and grime builds up on it, as well as on the track, and rollers. It might not seem like a big deal now, but you have to clean the dirt before winter sets in. If you neglect this problem, the dirt traps in moisture, which freezes and causes difficulty while opening the door.
Lubricate all moving parts
All moving components have to be lubricated thoroughly, as they tend to get cold and stuck during winter. Lubrication ensures smooth operation at all times. Don’t overdo – wipe off excess lubricant.
Tighten the hardware
Garage doors move up and down thousands of times a year. When you do the same thing day after day, the garage door wears out after some time. Parts become loose, so they have to be tightened periodically, or they might fall off. Go in with a socket wrench whenever you get the chance and tighten up any brackets and bolts.
Test door balance
When the garage door balance is off, the opener is forced to work harder, so it might have to be replaced sooner. Disconnect the opener by pulling the release handle so the door moves about halfway up. If it doesn’t stay in place then there is a problem with your balance and you have to get it fixed professionally.
Inspect and replace your rollers
No matter what material your rollers are made out of they need to be inspected at least twice a year and replaced after seven. These numbers go up if you rely on your garage door a lot. If you notice the rollers are cracked or chipped, replace them without further delay. Remove and reinstall any roller brackets that aren’t attached to the cable system. Lastly, listen for any unusual sounds made by the garage door when it is being opened or closed, as these noises usually indicate faulty mechanisms.