The cold weather may cause a variety of problems around the home. You need to stay on top of things during the cold season to avoid damage or injury. Your garage door is not immune to this, as it may fail to open when it is freezing outside.
Whether you've had this problem before or are nervous about it happening for the first time, you can try several things before calling an expert to get the door to open. Discover reasons why your garage door doesn't open in cold weather.
Contractions of Metallic Parts
Metal contracts when the temperature is low. The same happens to all metallic parts of your door, such as hinges, tracks, cables, and springs. The cold makes the spaces in the door shrink. For this reason, your door won't close when it's cold. Lubricants can help reduce the contractions of metallic parts.
Broken Garage Door Springs
Garage door springs help maintain balance as the door moves up and down. The daily strain on the springs puts them at risk of damage. In cold weather, metal can break or crack. Because they are more fragile and rigid, the cold weather breaks the garage door springs. Broken springs make your door heavy when you try to lift it.
Warped or Misaligned Tracks
Once cold weather causes the garage doors to contract, it may be enough to pull the door off the tracks. Cold and humid weather may also make the track warp. Cold weather can alter the tracks of your garage door and cause the door to go off track. If you experience this, look for garage door services.
Hardened Grease and Inadequate Lubricant
In cold weather, the grease can harden, making it challenging for you to open your garage door. All you need to do is contact professionals. They replace frozen grease. They use silicon-based lubricants and apply them using a brush on the parts that need lubrication.
If you haven't lubricated your garage door in a while, you may not have enough grease for it to work well. Your garage door won't open in cold weather if you're low on lubricant. Once it gets cold, low grease halts the garage door's operation.
Condensation on Safety Sensors
If you live in an area that experiences rapid temperature changes, you can see condensation on your windows. The same thing can happen to your garage door safety sensors. Once condensation builds up, it can obstruct beams projected by the sensors. The door will see an obstruction in the path even when there isn't one.
Worn-Out Weather Stripping
The weather stripping around your door can crack and stiffen due to exposure to cold air. It may not make an airtight seal when you close your door. If ignored, this problem may allow rain or snow in, leading to the garage door freezing. Weather stripping also helps keep moisture away from the moving parts in the garage door. If the weather stripping wears out, the moisture freezes, which hinders door movement.
Frozen Garage Door
Once ice and snow build up at the base of your garage door, it freezes to the ground. Even when it doesn't freeze, the door will not make complete contact with the ground, letting in cold air.
You want urgent, dependable service if your garage doors can't open in the cold. PDQ Garage Door Service has many years of experience and ongoing training. Our skilled garage door professionals will rapidly and efficiently diagnose the problem and notify you of possible solutions.
We properly complete garage door replacements and repairs the first time, allowing you to get back to living your life. Contact us today to schedule a tune-up or ask for an estimate.
