Winterization is a big buzzword throughout Minnesota this time of year. It’s for a good reason, as any longtime resident will tell you! From subzero temperatures to chaotic freeze-thaw cycles, home exteriors everywhere must endure the near unthinkable just to stay standing—and your garage door is no exception.
Though every garage door is hardy, every garage door also appreciates a little TLC before the snow settles in in order to prolong its life and extend its years of faithful service. Door Power, your Norwood providers of garage door repair and garage door installation, are here with a few pre-winter prep tips below.
Look Into Lubrication
Metal is strained by the cold; just look at all the work you need to do to prevent burst pipes! Your garage door, even if it’s insulated, needs similar care if its metal components, like its garage door springs, are to safely and efficiently serve you throughout the winter months. This generally takes the form of lubrication products.
These products make sure parts of your garage door glide smoothly against one another, and while that may seem like a straightforward enough of a function, picking the right can for the job isn’t always as easy as it sounds. Check out our garage door company blog, “What’s the Best Lubricant to Use on a Squeaky Garage Door?” for an in-depth look on what lubricant will be best for your needs.
For winterization purposes, you may consider a silicone-based lubricant. While lithium-based concoctions have their place, silicone-based lubricants tend to perform better in extreme cold because they don’t leave icky residue behind. You’ll also need to find a product that’s not just weather-resistant, but moisture-resistant, as there’s certainly a lot of that stuff in the colder months.
Wooden Garage Door Installations: Special Considerations
While wooden garage doors certainly have an old-timey charm about them, the fact that they’re made of an organic material leaves them extremely vulnerable to moisture damage if they’re not properly protected. Repeated exposure combined with the freeze-thaw cycle can put extra strain on the materials, potentially warping the wood and shortening the door’s lifespan.
If you own a truly wooden garage door—not one that just looks wooden—you’ll need to take extra steps to winterize not just the mechanical portions, but the garage door’s face, as well.
Patch Up Any Holes and Cracks
Wood is a good insulator, sure, but that insulatory factor is drastically decreased if you have a draft! To make your garage airtight and cozy, be sure to take care of any holes and/or cracks ASAP, even before the first snow falls; autumn nights get chilly too. Your garage door company will be able to provide you with situation-specific advice on what products, if any, to use. If your wooden garage door is particularly damaged, you may consider making the switch to steel.
Apply Protective Products to the Front
As we said, moisture and wood don’t mix. If you own a wooden garage door, you should already have a very strong maintenance routine in place that protects it from this—and that maintenance routine needs to kick into high gear pre-winter. Do whatever you need to do to protect your specific garage door’s front from rain, sleet, and blowing snow. Generally speaking, this involves a good cleaning job and an application of a wood waterproofing product with an air-sprayer or roller. Sometimes, you may need a sanding and refinishing job.
Check Out Your Weatherstripping and Seals
It’s not just wooden garage doors that can have draftiness issues if not properly taken care of! Every garage door has a seal on the lowest edge, and you’ll frequently find strips of product on the sides that work to keep out the drafts. Before winter hits, if you want to save on your energy bill, you’ll need to check these over for signs of wear and tear.
Such signs include, but are not limited to
● Cracking
● Tearing
● Metal damage as a result of seal deterioration
If you’re finding unexplainable puddles inside your garage, this also might be a sign that you’ll need to contact a garage door repair company to replace your seal or other weatherstripping material. It’s not worth risking the danger of working on such a heavy machine; your garage door company will be able to get the job done in a jiffy.
Door Power: For All Your Garage Door Installation and Repair Needs
We’re more than just a garage door company; we strive to truly be there. No matter if it’s an emergency—maybe your garage door won’t open—or you simply want a how-to on proper winter-proofing, our team always provides the same prompt, friendly service that leaves your garage door primed for action and you with peace of mind.
For anything related to these hardworking machines, you know who to call: Door Power. Reach our Norwood office today at 952-467-3199.