Picture this: it’s wintertime, and you pick up one of your garage door openers and try to open or close your home’s garage door – it doesn’t budge. While the solution could be something as small as low batteries in your controller, it could have to do with a lack of proper maintenance during the cold winter months!
At Overhead Door Company of Yakima™, we know that central Washington homeowners are used to dealing with trials and tribulations of freezing temperatures. What some might not realize, is that the frigid air can also wreak havoc on their residential garage doors.
If you would like to keep your garage working in its best working condition, our team has several maintenance tips to help you along.
Maintenance Tip #1: Pay Closer Attention to How Your Garage is Operating
Before significant damage and problems strike your garage doors, there are usually signs that something fishy is going on. Pay close attention to anything strange your door might be doing. This could include jerky movements when opening or strange sounds as the door goes up and down.
Maintenance Tip #2: Give Your Weather Stripping a Little TLC
The garage door experts at Overhead Door Company of Yakima™ make it our business to remind our customers about the importance of their garage door’s weatherstripping.
At the beginning of the fall and winter season, look at the stripping on the bottom of the door and check for any cracks or other signs of damage. If there are significant problems, you might need to repair or replace them before the temperatures drop too low.
You should also keep your weatherstripping dry throughout the day to avoid freezing and cracks.
Maintenance Tip #3: Keep Moving Parts Lubricated
Harsh temperatures tend to dry things out. When this happens, they don’t usually work as well as they should. This applies to garage doors, too!
Make sure to lubricate any moving parts on your residential garage door with oil. This will keep it functioning all winter long. Just be careful to wipe off any excess oil after lubrication.
Maintenance Tip #4: Check the Batteries in Your Garage Door Openers
While bad batteries certainly aren’t the only cause for concern during the winter months, they are something to consider. If it’s been a while since you checked the batteries inside your garage door openers, make sure to test them out.
Maintenance Tip #5: Inspect Your Rollers (and Possibly Replace Them)
Did you know that you should be inspecting your garage door rollers twice a year? Not only that, but you should also replace them every seven years.
If you can’t remember the last time you performed a roller inspection, there’s no time to waste. Bad rollers can quickly become a problem in cold weather.
Keep Your Central Washington Garage Door Working All Winter Long
From garage door openers to replacement weatherstripping, there are many things to consider when it comes to maintaining your garage doors during the winter months. If you’re concerned about the state of your residential doors, don’t waste any more time. Be sure to call in the professionals.
Overhead Door Company of Yakima™ is here to ensure your home’s garage door is safe, effective, and working the way it should be all winter long!