3 Ways to Avoid Garage Door Problems this Winter

Is it just us, or does everything seem to work fine until it’s the worst possible time for it to break? For garage door problems, the worst possible time will be when you arrive home during a crazy ice storm on a freezing winter’s night.

Even if you’re one of those people who loves winter, it’s definitely not the time of year when you want to get out of your car and wrestle with the garage door to get it open.

Here are a few things you can do right now to help you avoid those chilling garage door problems:

1. Lubricate the Door

Yes, your garage door would benefit from an annual lubrication and now’s the best time to do it. In addition to helping the moving parts of your door operate smoothly, the lubricant gives them some protection from winter’s harsh conditions.

You’ll need a petroleum-based lubricant for metal moving parts and a silicone-based lubricant for weather-stripping and seals.

2. Check the Roller Tracks

If the roller tracks that support either side of the door aren’t parallel to each other, it could jam the door open or closed. Disconnect your garage door opener and check that the door works easily and smoothly by opening and closing it manually.

3. Always Check the Base of the Door

You can do this now and throughout the winter. During the fall and winter, the chances are higher that some debris, ice or snow can affect your door’s safety systems. If ice and/or snow build up at the base of your door, or leaves block the door’s safety eyes, it might not close properly.

Winter’s on its way. But by doing some maintenance on your door right now, you won’t have to worry so much about its arrival.