5 Ways To Prevent A Frozen Garage Door
You know where we live, so you know things have an affinity for freezing. We receive calls every winter from homeowners who can’t leave, or enter, their home because of a frozen-shut garage door. We feel your pain.
Winter is bad enough, so let’s take a look at 5 ways to prevent your garage door from freezing shut.
Clear The Way
For many, this is easier said than done. The best way to prevent a frozen garage door is to simply clear away snow and ice. Make it a daily chore to make sure no snow or ice is building up in the tracks and where your garage door rests.
The best time to check is in the morning – ice buildup is most common overnight.
Keep The Seal Intact & Lubricated
A worn and dry weather seal is another possible culprit for your frozen garage door. First things first, check to see if your weather seal needs to be replaced. If it is old, tattered, and/or falling off, it is time to replace.
If not, we recommend adding silicon oil along the strip. Silicon oil will keep the weather strip from freezing and sticking. Additionally, add this oil to the tracks, hinges, and rollers.
Tip: Don’t use WD-40. WD-40 is not a true lubricant.
Table Salt
Yes, that stuff we use way too much of on our dinner.
Table salt not only significantly lowers the freezing temperature of water, it is also far less corrosive than other forms of salt. Simply sprinkle a substantial amount of salt along the garage floor where the weather seal meets the concrete. Done and done.
Warm Your Car Outside
Frozen garage doors aside, warming your car up in the garage is a bad idea. Even if you open your garage door, carbon monoxide finds a way to reach toxic levels. Along with this safety hazard, the heat generated by your warming car is likely to melt the ice and snow present in your garage door tracks and where the garage door meets concrete. After leaving your home, this ice refreezes and leaves you with a frozen door.
Garage Door Opener
Installing a garage heater serves many purposes. A heater keeps belonging safe from the yearly effects of freezing and thawing, allows you to enjoy your garage during winter months, and keeps your garage door(s) from freezing.
Electrical heaters are easier to install but are more costly than gas. Gas will need require professional installation, but will payoff in the end.
Stop letting a frozen garage door bring stress, frustration, and copious amounts of adult language into your life. If you have any questions, give us a call today.
