As the National Weather Service issues a winter storm watch for much of North Carolina this week, residents in Raleigh, Cary and surrounding areas may begin to prepare for what the winter weather will bring.
Residents in this area don’t see snow often, which means that when the threat comes, we are often scurrying around to prepare our homes for snow or ice. Though your garage door may not be top of mind when preparing for winter weather, it should not be overlooked. Maintaining your garage door is important for the lifespan of your door, and may extend the amount of time you have before it needs to be replaced.
When it comes to protecting your garage during winter weather, there are three stages of the process.
How to Protect Your Garage Door Before, During and After a Snow or Ice Storm
Before:
It is always important to perform routine maintenance on your garage door, but particularly before winter weather arrives. A few important measures that should be taken before snow or ice arrives, are:
- Lubricate all moving parts. We cannot stress the importance of this enough. As we have mentioned before, these parts may stick and stall when it’s cold out, but lubricating the parts ahead of time will help your garage door continue to run smoothly.
- Spread salt or sand in your driveway and around your door. Spreading salt or sand in your driveway may help you avoid collision with your garage door if your driveway becomes slick. Leaving your driveway bare may cause it to freeze over, making it difficult to pull into your driveway without slipping and sliding. Additionally, spreading this around your garage door (inside and outside) may prevent your door from freezing to the floor when temperatures drop and snow builds up.
- Retrieve shovels, snowblowers and anything else you need from your garage before the storm. While garages serve as storage for your car, they also often serve as a storage place for outdoor tools, and other household items. If you know a storm is coming, retrieve anything you may need from your garage, particularly snow clearing materials, so that you will have easy access to it. Should the snow build up around your door, having your shovel out of the garage already will allow you to clear around the door, preventing snow from falling inside.
During:
- Shovel while it’s still snowing. If the storm doesn’t appear to be moving any time soon, though it may be cold, it is beneficial to shovel a little here and there as the snow continues to fall. This will save you from having to do one large shoveling job later, and may prevent buildup against your door. The weight of snow and ice buildup can wear on your door, damaging the paint or material of the door, sometimes even causing dents.
- Shovel to the ground. While shoveling or clearing the snow around your garage door, don’t just shovel enough to clear the way, make sure you shovel all the way to the ground’s surface. Doing so will allow the sun to warm up the ground and prevent refreezing around your door.
After:
- Check around your door to ensure that no damage was done to the metal parts. Cold weather can cause metal to contract and settle or realign itself. After a storm, check around your garage door to make sure it is intact. If it is not, it can easily be repaired by a professional.
So as the threat of winter weather approaches, take a look over our tips to ensure that your door remains in good condition during the storm. Should your garage door suffer damage from winter weather, or anything else, please feel free to call on the experts at Garage Door Specialist! Our professionals have all the right tools to get your garage door running smoothly and effectively.