No one wants to have problems with their garage door during wintertime. If the door won’t open at the click of the remote, your only option is to get out of the car, lift the door all the way up, back your car out, then get out again to roll the door shut. The winter cold makes this an unpleasant experience. For this reason, be sure to add garage door inspection to your home maintenance to-do list when preparing your home and garage for winter in McDonough, GA. You’ll be glad you did!
Here are the steps you should take to prepare your garage door for the cold and snowy winter ahead:
- Clean the door: It’ll likely be late fall or early winter by the time you start winterizing your garage door. This is fine. Just start your winter preparations by cleaning the exterior panels of your garage door so you aren’t stuck out in the elements should the weather turn all of a sudden. A cold, wet or icy winter day could ruin your plans for door maintenance, or make what should’ve been a simple task more of a challenge. To clean most types of garage doors, mix together a mild detergent with water, use a brush to scrub the surface and rinse well.
- Inspect and clean the weather-stripping: The weather-stripping of all garage doors is located at the bottom—it’s the part of the door that makes contact with the floor of your garage. To clean the weather-stripping, apply an all-purpose cleaner from one end to the other, then rinse with water. You can avoid making a mess by using a cloth instead of spraying it with water from a hose. While cleaning, check for cracks or tears. Replacing damaged weather-stripping keeps the winter elements out.
- Inspect the window seals on the door: If your garage door has windows, take the time to check that the seals are securely in place around each window frame. These seals help maintain the temperature inside the garage by keeping the elements on the outside of the door. Without tight seals, the cold can get through the windowpanes and frost up the glass.
- Check and clean the door’s components: Many parts work together inside the garage to move your garage door up and down, whether yours is an automatic or manual system. Wipe off grease buildup on tracks and rollers, then lubricate these and other moving parts. Check for signs of worn, damaged or missing parts or hardware, and repair or replace as needed.
- Add door insulation: Although garage doors do not have to be insulated, you might want to look into it if you live in an area where winters are particularly cold. A professional garage door company can install insulation materials or add more to doors with existing insulation.
Prepping your house for snow in McDonough, GA and ensuring it’s ready for other crazy wintertime weather is a breeze when you have Affordable Dock & Door on your side. Call us today to learn more about our garage door services!