Winter is wonderful for skiing in the mountains, skating on a frozen pond, and building snowmen in your yard. But when a storm hits, and two feet of snow plop down in front of your doorway, we suddenly look at winter not so favorably. What usually comes along with snow is wind and ice. These sub-zero temperatures and weather patterns can cause your garage door system to crash. We at Hudson Garage Doors can help you prevent your garage door from freezing shut in troublesome temperatures. Learn how to properly winterize your garage with these steps:
Install a heater
Warming your garage by putting in a heater can prevent a frozen garage door. A well-heated garage provides usable workspace all year long, including during sub-zero storms. A garage that becomes too cold will damage your car, as well as any equipment and tools you store in there. Electric heaters are easiest to install but are a bit costlier. Gas units put less pressure on your budget, but more difficult to install. This is because they require an exhaust vent and a gas supply. Either option, though, is effective.
Shovel away the snow
Removing ice and snow from around your garage door will help prevent accumulation. It will also help prevent refreezing overnight. Shovel snow away from the outside of your garage door. Whatever is left will most likely freeze overnight. This will cause your garage door to freeze up in the morning when you try to open it. If it is stuck, don’t try to force it open. You can tear off the bottom seal of the garage door or the operator can burn out from the constant strain.
Take your car out of the garage before warming it up
When you’re off to work in the morning, take a few extra minutes to warm up your car on the driveway or street. Don’t do this in the garage because the heat can melt any snow and ice surrounding the garage door. This remaining moisture will likely re-freeze, and you will be coming home to a frozen shut garage door.
Line your garage door with lubricant
It’s important to keep your garage door system properly lubricated because it will assist during chilly weather. You can buy lubricants that are specifically made for garage door systems. Applying a lubricant, such as silicone spray, to the rubber bottom seal of your garage door will help prevent it from sticking to ice. Lubricants have waterproof properties that drop the freezing point of water. So, when you spray it in the right spots, this can prevent freezing and will keep your garage door gliding smoothly. If you don’t have silicone spray, cooking spray or vegetable oil produces the same result. The same also goes for table salt. Sprinkle a significant amount of salt along the line where the driveway meets the garage door. Doing this will make freezing more difficult because salt also lowers the freezing point of water.
Replace the weather seal
Your weather seal will likely crack over time, allowing air to enter and water to accumulate and freeze. Replace the seal by removing it with a knife or something sharp to install a new one that will seal shut more effectively.
Consider trying any of these tips to winterize your garage and to free yourself of a frozen shut garage door. Hudson Valley Overhead Doors and Operators are your go-to guys for any of your garage door related needs. We offer top quality service for garage door installation, fitting, and repair. Call us today at Hudson Garage Doors to help you protect your garage door from winter: (845) 876-2772.