Winterizing your home is essential for protecting it against snow, ice, and frigid winds. However, don’t stop at just your roof, siding, windows, and doors. Your garage door could also use a helping hand to fend off the cold season’s many threats. While you should always trust a professional to make hands-on repairs to your door’s components, there are still a few effective preventative tasks you can perform to keep it in good working order during the colder months.

How to Care for Your Garage Door This Winter

1. Clean the Surface

Regularly cleaning your garage door is a very simple way to keep it looking great and to protect it against serious and costly damage. Areas that receive a lot of snowfall or are near the coast tend to have significant amounts of moisture and salt in the air. These substances can cause the door’s finish to erode much more quickly. Removing these elements, along with any dirt and grime, will protect the finish and prevent rust from developing, which could otherwise cause parts to fail and void your warranty.

2. Test the Spring Balance

If the spring system is off-balance, it can negatively affect the garage door opener and potentially cause it to prematurely fail. Test it by pulling the release handle to disconnect the opener and manually pull up the door to the halfway point. Let the release go to see if the door stays up. If it doesn’t, immediately call a professional contractor to correct the balance and prevent further problems. 

3. Lubricate All Moving Parts

Your garage door has many moving metal parts, which are susceptible to sticking when hit with cold temperatures and moisture. If you want to keep your door opening and closing with ease and avoid an unpleasant squeaking sound, apply a lithium-based lubricant over the tracks, springs, rollers, and hinges. 

To do this, disconnect the power from the door, clean away any dust and dirt, and spray the lubricant over the parts. Take care to wipe away any excess grease to prevent the door from becoming unbalanced. 

Ensure your garage door is fully prepared to face winter by contacting the professionals at Fred C Johnson Co Inc. Since 1964, this family-owned business has provided residential and commercial garage door repair and replacement services to Jessup, MD. Their warehouse is filled with thousands of garage door parts, making them your one-stop shop for doors, openers, and other products. Call them today at (410) 792-2126 for a free estimate, and visit their website to learn more about their services.