A garage is a major convenience, especially during the winter. With this useful storage space, you don’t have to brave the cold weather, scrape snow off your car or risk slipping on icy sidewalks. However, the cold temperatures of winter can cause your garage door to malfunction in a variety of ways. In this article, we’ll discuss how cold weather affects garage doors and what to do if this crucial contraption suddenly stops working.
Table of Contents
- Ways Cold Weather Can Impact Garage Doors
- Benefits of Insulated Garage Doors
- What to Do If the Garage Door Stops Working Due to the Cold
- Importance of Preventative Maintenance for Garage Doors
Ways Cold Weather Can Impact Garage Doors
Garage doors consist of many components, most of which are affected by the cold in one way or another. Below we’ll cover the parts most likely to fail when the temperatures drop.
1. Springs
Broken springs are a common problem and usually due to wear and tear, as the springs in a garage door last approximately 10,000 cycles on average.
Many homeowners forget to perform checkups on their springs when the weather is cold, but it should be done frequently. You can do this by lifting the door by hand. Raise the door roughly halfway and then release it. It the garage door does not fall, this means your springs are in working order. If the door moves down, however, this may be a sign that you need to purchase new springs.
One way to avoid this unpleasant situation is by having a safety cable installed. This cable exerts sufficient force to serve as a counter to the weight of the door. If your springs do end up breaking even when you have a safety cable attached, you should still contact a professional immediately to replace the springs.
This situation can also be prevented by scheduling regular preventive maintenance.
2. Seals
If water collects on the ground around the door, the door can become frozen shut. This is one of the most annoying garage door malfunctions. If you notice that your garage door is frozen to the ground, there are a few ways to deal with this issue:
- Open it manually. Although it may not work in more in more severe winter conditions, it is worth it to try opening the door by hand. Make sure to use the emergency release cord.
- Scrape the ice. Using a scraper, try scraping and chipping away at the ice.
- Melt the ice. Use a heat gun to melt the ice — but do so with care. Metal doors should not be exposed to too much heat at once.
- Pour hot water. Dumping some hot water at the door’s base can provide a quick solution, although remember that if this water refreezes, it could create a slipping hazard.
While all of these methods are worth trying out, there is no guarantee any of them will be effective. It is best to prevent this issue altogether by sweeping away water and snow from the base of the door as soon as you notice them.
3. Openers and Motors
Cold weather affects garage door openers as well. Because the motor consists of many moving parts and has to work extra hard in cold weather, it is particularly important to ensure that all the parts are well lubricated with the right lubricant. If you use the wrong lubricant, the consistency can become thicker, requiring the motor to exert itself even more.
You should also examine the photo-eyes during cold weather. Snow or condensation can block the photo-eye lenses, which means that the garage door openers will cease to operate. If your door suddenly stops working, the first thing you should inspect and clean is the photo-eyes.
4. Structure
Garage doors contain many parts made of metal, and metal contracts when it’s cold. This includes the track, the springs and the hinges. If these parts do not regularly move during the colder months, they may warp or seize up. For this reason, it is highly recommended that you lubricate these components so that they can continue to work correctly.
Benefits of Insulated Garage Doors
Buying a garage door with insulation can help you avoid many garage-related problems commonly experienced during the winter months.
Here are some of the benefits of an insulated garage door:
1. Your Garage Will Be Warmer
While space heaters and insulated walls will help to warm your space, if the garage door is not insulated, this will cause the warm air to escape through the door, and you may end up spending a small fortune on your heating bills. A warmer garage doesn’t just make your trip to and from the car more comfortable, but it also makes it easier to use the space for other activities.
2. You’ll Save on Energy Costs
Garages are not considered to be a living space, so the standards for building them are not the same as for the rest of your home. Unlike in most other areas of a house, gaps and air leakage are allowed in the garage. Because of this, garages tend to be one of the least energy-efficient areas of a house. Researchers have found that upgrading your uninsulated garage door to an insulated model can lower your heat loss by over 70 percent, especially if your garage walls are insulated as well.
3. Your Tools Will Be Protected
Freezing temperatures in your garage can cause damage to your vehicles, appliances and many other things. In particular, tools that have water inside them, such as power washers, may freeze and crack, which will effectively ruin them. Cold temperatures can also cause the fuel in your lawn mower engine to gel up, destroying this pricey piece of equipment. By investing in an insulated garage door, you may be avoiding thousands of dollars in damage.
4. Other Items Will Be Protected
Protecting your garage from extreme temperatures can also increase the life of paints, fertilizers, motor oil, cleaning supplies. Exceptionally cold or warm temperatures can change the consistency of these items.
5. Insulated Garage Doors Protect Your Car
Cold temperatures can affect many components of your car. They can lower the air pressure in your tires as well as thicken your engine, transmission and brake fluids. Cold weather can also cause your battery to die since most batteries function optimally between 30 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit. If your garage door is insulated, you could avoid dealing with all of these car issues.
6. Insulated Garage Doors Are More Durable
Insulated garage doors are manufactured differently than single-layer doors, and are stronger as a result. Insulated garage doors commonly feature a steel or aluminum frame, which is filled using solid-core insulation. This insulation is then put in between steel panels. This construction style makes the door more durable and reduces the chances of it being damaged or dented. Because garage doors should be able to withstand various weather phenomena, cars, equipment and kids, this additional strength comes in handy.
7. Insulated Garage Doors Are Less Noisy
The insulation also helps to dampen any vibrations your garage door, which is especially desirable if there is a living space next to or above the garage, as the inhabitants will not be disturbed whenever the door opens or closes. If you have a noisy garage door, you may want to consider upgrading to an insulated model.
8. They Reduce Sound Transmission
Garage doors with insulation also reduce the transmission of sounds passing through it, which can be a great option if you live near a busy street or have noisy neighbors.
What to Do If the Garage Door Stops Working Due to the Cold
If it’s uncomfortably cold outside and your garage door has suddenly stopped working, your first step should always be to replace the batteries in your remote. The batteries should all be of the same brand and should always be changed as a set.
If you’ve replaced the batteries in the remote and your door isn’t moving, the number of possible causes is substantial. By lifting your door by hand, you will be better able to isolate the issue.
To begin, disconnect the garage door from the lifting mechanism, which can usually be done by pulling a cord. This cord dangles from the lift and often has a red handle. This feature allows your door to operate independently of the lift mechanism. Knowing how to do this may also come in handy if your power goes out and you need to use your garage door.
Next, lift the door manually and pay attention to how it feels to lift it. Depending on how your door feels, you will take one of the following three courses of action:
1. Your Door Feels Heavy
If it feels heavy, this likely means that the springs, which are there to help you, are either broken or worn out. Garage doors have springs installed to provide a counterweight, which makes it easier for you and your motor to lift the door. With time, though, these springs may break or wear out.
However, under absolutely no circumstances should you try to repair or replace broken garage door springs on your own. Because the springs are under tremendous pressure, they could snap and cause injury or even death. If you believe that your garage door springs have broken, immediately contact an experienced technician.
2. Your Door Is Sticking in Spots
If your door does not feel heavy but rather appears to get stuck at certain places while you lift it, this issue is more likely related to lubrication.
Keep in mind that garage doors tend to be made of metal and travel along a track made of metal. For this reason, lubrication is critical, especially when the weather is cold. Remember that lower temperatures can affect the consistency of your lubricant, causing it to harden or become gunky. Check the rating on your lubricant to make sure it can withstand the lowest possible temperature that is likely to occur in your region.
Having too much lubrication on your tracks can also present a problem, as can lubrication that is unevenly distributed as a result of the cold. Make sure to visually inspect your tracks and keep an eye out for these issues.
Fortunately, adding more lubrication is a fairly straightforward task that any homeowner can handle, provided that they are wearing appropriate gloves. When reapplying the lubrication, make sure that the sharp metal on the tracks does not cut you.
3. You Have No Problems Opening the Door Manually
If your door opens smoothly with little effort, this means that the problem must be with the motor. In most cases, this is not an issue that you can solve yourself. It is best to hire an experienced professional to come and fix your motor.
Importance of Preventative Maintenance for Garage Doors
Even if you can fix your garage door with relative ease, a garage door malfunction in the dead of winter is no fun. It’s best to prevent it from happening in the first place. Garage doors should be inspected annually, and there’s no better time to do it than right before winter starts. Hire a professional to come and search for any issues that might lead to a malfunction.
If you’ve noticed a minor problem with your door, you should get it fixed right away — not when the temperature is below zero, there’s a snowstorm outside, and your garage door won’t open.
Contact Continental Door for All Your Garage Door Needs
If you live in the Greater Spokane, Wash., area and are in need of garage door repair, service or maintenance, you can count on Continental Door to get the job done correctly, efficiently and safely.
If you’re interested in buying a garage door, we offer a diverse collection of high-quality doors from the most trusted manufacturer in the industry. We are Spokane’s only Master Authorized dealer for Clopay® and are their largest dealer in the Western United States.
We also offer a large selection of other products, including:
Come in person to our showroom to explore options right for you. If you are looking for help with ideas, we even offer design consultations free of charge.
In addition to our wide selection of high-quality products, we also pride ourselves on our commitment to superior customer service and fast response times. Once you decide on the perfect product, you can enjoy our premium service and knowledge that we’ve come to be known for. We’ve grown rapidly in the 10 years that we’ve been serving the Spokane community, and we attribute this growth to our expertise and high standards of service.
If you’re in need of a service, you can schedule one using our online contact form. If it’s an emergency, you can call us at 509.921.2260 any time of day or night and a well-trained team of technicians will be at your door right away.
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Updated: 05/22/2019
