5 practical tips to get your garage door winter ready
Your garage door is one of those features in your home that you use on the daily, but never really think about until it stops you in your tracks. As winter in Perth approaches, the change in temperature can affect your garage door’s functionality, so it pays to be prepared.
Winter increases the strain on your garage door, which also increases the chances of it breaking down. A broken garage door can leave your home vulnerable to the elements, pests or even intruders. Not to mention the inconvenience and frustration!
Here are our top tips for winter proofing and maintaining your garage door.
How to prepare garage doors in Perth for the winter season
1. Check garage door seals
Your garage door is a vital entry and exit point to your home, so it’s important to keep the heat in during winter. Start by looking at the seal on the bottom of your roller door and the weather stripping around the door. The easiest way to do this is to stand in your driveway after dark and look directly at the closed door. If you can see cracks of light coming through, it’s likely you have a problem with the seal around the door. Even a tiny crack can let heat escape, making your home colder, which ultimately increases your heating costs. If you notice the seal is damaged, be sure to get it replaced before the chill sets in.
Using a household all-purpose cleaner, you should also wipe down the weather stripping and make sure it’s free from anything that could cause a problem later on.
2. Inspect the tracks
One of the first signs of a faulty garage door is when it starts to make unusual sounds, but it’s not something you’ll always notice when you’re coming and going in the car.
Go outside and watch your door go up and down a few times. Listen out for any odd sounds and observe how the door moves. If something doesn’t sound or look right, make a note of it and call in a Perth garage door professional to take a look. If your door is older, a technician can recommend the best way to repair it or advise you if it’s time for an upgrade.
3. Apply lubricant
Your garage door is made up of many moving parts such as hinges, springs and cables that allows it to open and close. They all require lubrication every once in a while, but especially during winter. Why? Colder temps can cause the metal components to shrink slightly, putting stress on the joints where they meet. Making sure the metal parts of your door are in good working order will go a long way to keeping your door working as it should.
For a quick fix, spray lubricant on the moving parts including bearings, hinges and springs. Then, run the motor a few times to make sure it’s all evenly distributed.
4. Inspect the electric door mechanism
The last thing you want is to be stuck outside – or worse have your door left open during a storm because it’s not working properly. Make sure you give your remote a once over and have a spare battery on hand. And if in doubt, get a technician to check the garage door keypad and remote to ensure everything is working properly.
5. Do a general tidy outside
Need to upgrade your garage door?
Doing these checks will prevent the need for any costly repairs. If your garage door is beyond repair, call WA Roller Doors – the specialists in garage doors in Perth. We’ll inspect it and advise whether maintaining your current door is still a viable option, or provide an estimate for a brand new garage door and have it installed without delay.
