As a homeowner, your garage is a part of your home that is essential for entering, exiting, and protecting your car and tools. You may use it all the time and sometimes more during the seasons. It is a key feature of your home that is expected to function when needed.
However, as the seasons change, so does the longevity of the garage door. Winter is one of the harder seasonal changes that harm garages if they are not managed correctly. So to protect the investment of your home and the garage, here are a few quality winter garage door maintenance tips and prepare your garage door for winter.
Observe The Garage
To get your garage preparation going, you must first observe the entire door in action and at a standstill. You need to observe if it is in good operation or if it may look like it is struggling. The best way to start this is by observing the door opening and shutting, and ask yourself if every side is moving smoothly.
You will need to observe if any odd sounds are squeaking or scraping. Many doors that need maintenance will have a grinding sound or perform jerking actions. You may also notice that the door is not symmetrical, in action, and at a standstill. All of these are signs that you will need to give it attention and some garage winterizing help.
Checking Nuts, Bolts, Rollers, And Hardware
Because your garage is one of the most used excrescences and exits during the year, checking the stability of the hardware is essential. Each nut, bolt, and roller all have key functions to allow your door to operate correctly.
In this step, you may need to focus on the small components of every angle of the door to tighten or see if anything needs replacement. Many homeowners will usually get the rollers replaced or have to adjust the brackets and bolts with your tools.
Adjusting And Lubing Hardware
Since you are already in the process of checking the hardware, making sure it is lubricated is the next step in your garage door winter maintenance. Adding the lube will offer the components a smoother operation for the seasonal change. It will also help in preventing grinding and scraping.
Most homeowners will speak to a specialist to have this done, as it can get time-consuming or redundant if you don’t know what exactly needs attention, like the springs or roller parts. However, you can also adjust the hardware when you are adding the lubricant to the moving parts to make the winterization easier.
Garage Door Winterizing With Weather Strips
At the lower end or the bottom of the garage is a seal strip. To prepare it for winter is to check for any cracks or tears. If you notice that it is damaged in any way, it is wise to replace it.
The strip is on the door to prevent any outside elements like dust and debris from entering your home. Be sure to get the right stripping as there are different types for doors. If you don’t know what type of stripping you have, contact your local garage specialist to help you get the accurate one.
Make Sure The Door Is Safe
There are a lot of components that allow the garage to operate safely. Some are cables, rollers, and auto-reverse features. All of these play a large part in keeping you safe while the door is in operation. To make sure they will function correctly in winter, check on your garage door winter maintenance safety before it is too late and someone gets hurt.
The rollers should not have any cracks or chips, and the best way to keep them safe is to maintain them or replace them two times a year.
The cables are the tension or the garage. They are what lift the door and lower it down. It is never advised that anyone who is not a professional to mess with the cables, as they provide plenty of force that could harm or kill a person. You can easily just look and see if there are broken strands or damage near the roller brackets.
Lastly, most garages have an auto-reverse feature that stops the door from closing when an object or person is under it. If it does not recognize that an object is in the line of the door closing, this feature needs to get maintenance right away.
Inspecting The Door And Clearing Out The Tracks
A professionally maintained door has tracks that are located on both sides of the door that are fully cleaned. They need to be free of dirt and debris to ensure precise operation. A good tip to follow is to make sure the tracks are clear from any random objects or debris.
Professionals will use a level to make sure the balance is stable when they check the tracks, but again, when fiddling or cleaning any part of your garage, take the utmost precautions, or call a professional to do the labor.
Clean Out Your Garage
While many homeowners keep the garage clean, some don’t think it is a priority before winter. If you want to make sure the door lasts longer, then keeping it and your garage clean is important. Keeping the door maintained and cleaned will help with any chipping paint, or avoid rust.
Take a look to see if you need to sand down the door or scrub the garage door for winter with a cleaner it helps particles from entering your garage motor and garages parts which later can lead to damage.
Find More Information Or Get Help
The last tip is to reach out to a garage specialist in your area. It is easier and safer to contact a pro that has experience and knowledge on how to maintain your door in the best manner. Overall, they will be able to do it efficiently and have all the necessary tools and parts to fix or manage anything regarding the door so you don’t have to lift a finger.
Therefore, if you feel that your garage is looking a little shabby, or if you want to get on a regular maintenance plan, then contact Alamo Door & Gates today.
