Why Your Garage Door Breaks More Often in the Winter

It can seem like garage door malfunctions happen whenever you need it to work the most. However, this isn't just bad luck.Winter freezes and bad weather can play a part in making fragile components of your automatic garage door snap or malfunction.

What does winter weather have to do with your garage door?

Metal contracts in the cold which can affect everything from the screws holding the mechanisms in place to the springs that bear the weight load of the moving door. One of the best ways to protect your garage door against this is to ensure that your garage is well insulated. Since traditional garage doors are thin sheets of metal with little weather-stripping, the cold air can seep right into your garage and around the bare metal pieces.  An insulated garage door and weather-stripping can help keep your metal safe from regular contractions and expansions.

Winter weather can also freeze your door to the ground. The motor lifting the door is set for an expected range of weight, and trying to pull the frozen lip of the door from the ground might put too much pressure on it. Even worse, the weather-stripping itself might freeze to the ground and start to rip if you try to open the door after a freeze. If you notice pools of ice or snow around the bottom of your garage door before you leave in the morning, pour salty water to break the seal before opening the door.

Some garage doors aren't built for winter weather. If you've regularly experienced broken doors or springs after a freeze, contact Overhead Door Company of Lansing to schedule a repair or find a long-term solution.