Common Winter Garage Door Repairs
Extreme Cold in Kansas City Means More Garage Door Repairs for Homeowners
Ever notice that garage doors seem to break when it’s cold outside? Well, you’re right. The winter season is a busy time for garage door repairs. This happens for multiple reasons, although it can happen anytime during the year. A garage door is not something that many homeowners think about- especially if it’s in good working condition. The next time you head into the garage, take a look up at your garage opener and springs. They may look fine but could be closer to the end of their life expectancy than you realize. Our customers are always asking us why their garage door just stopped working; especially in the winter. We asked our service techs what the most common garage door repairs were and this is what they said.
Springs Stiffen Up in the Cold
Like many products sitting in the cold weather, springs get stiff. A spring goes from sitting for hours in the cold to lifting 150 plus pounds in seconds. Springs that had some life left in them can break from the low temps and added strain. Many people let their cars warm up in the winter before they start driving to avoid costly repairs (especially if they’re older). Your garage door springs don’t have the luxury of warming up before they’re utilized. It’s a very harsh task they’re being asked to do in below freezing temps.
Not all Garage Door Springs are Created Equally
Some springs are better than others and typically come in cycle counts. A cycle count is how many times a spring is manufactured to open and close. One cycle equals one open and one close. Every time you leave or come home, your door goes up and down. That is one cycle. When you are getting close to the end of your spring cycle life and it’s bitter cold, your spring may decide to call it quits early. Ask your door repair technician how many cycles your springs are rated for. If you use your garage door a lot, you may want to upgrade to a higher cycle spring.
Garage Door Openers and the Cold
The cold weather also affects garage door openers, especially old motors. A garage door opener is the thing (usually hanging from the ceiling) that controls when your door opens and closes. Similar to why a spring will break, an older motor is heavily impacted by the cold.
Other Garage Door Parts Affected by the Cold
Additional garage door parts may need to be replaced as well during the winter, especially when snow occurs. Garage door cables can get off track if there is snow or ice build-up on the threshold.
Finally, garage door sections tend to get banged up in the winter. Bottom weather seals can stick, leading to delayed time in opening and possibly not opening at all. Many homeowners are not accustomed to a delay in their garage door opening. We get a lot of calls from people who were in a hurry to back out of the garage and ended up backing into their door. Ice on a driveway can also lead to door panel damage. We tend to overestimate our ability to stop before we hit the door. Garage door dents like these are not typically covered by your insurance so be sure to take extra precaution to avoid a costly garage door panel replacement.
Garage Door Weather Seals can Help Reduce Winter Repairs
You can help minimize your garage door repairs by replacing your garage door weather seals when needed. Weather seals minimize snow entering your garage. Worn weather seals can lead to drafts and decreased garage temperatures. In this article, we learned that garage door springs and garage door openers don’t like cold temperatures, so whatever you can do to keep your garage from losing unnecessary heat, you should consider doing.
If you’ve been debating whether it’s time to replace your old door or not, consider what it might cost to have to make these standard repairs. You might be surprised to find that a new door can cost less than you think and can save you money in the long run.
If you have more questions about your garage door repairs, be sure to call the experts at Renner Garage Door. We offer free estimates and up-front pricing that is sure to meet your budget needs. Looking for something custom? Our in-house team of garage door carpenters can make any garage door dream come true.
