How to Maintain Your Garage Throughout Winter and Its Storms

Proactive Winter Maintenance Will Help to Prevent Costly Garage Door Repairs

For many people, parking their car in the garage on a cold and blustery winter day elicits a sigh of relief that they have arrived home safe and sound.  And when the garage door is closed behind them, there can be an added sense of security that they and their family can now contentedly relax and unwind within the sanctuary of their home.

Amidst all such feelings of comfort, it is unlikely that much if any thought was given to the actual role played by the garage door itself, particularly if it was opened and closed by an automatic garage door opener.  In the vast majority of cases, homeowners would just assume that the door and the opener will function properly and as expected, to the point where many people will already have entered the home before the door was fully closed and secure.

Unfortunately, garage doors and their related hardware and accessories are not immune to malfunction or damage, and a lack of care or attention, albeit unintentional or perhaps due to more pressing priorities, can result in extensive and expensive garage door repair costs.  While disconcerting at any time of the year, the inconvenience and frustrations of garage door failures/repairs can tend to be further magnified during the winter months.

There are several benefits to homeowners in protecting their garage door and the garage itself from the effects of winter’s bitterly cold temperatures and severe weather/storms.  These benefits would include:

• Assurance of reliability
• Avoiding unnecessary repairs
• Increasing energy efficiencies
• Extending the lifecycle of the door
• Safeguarding of home and property
• Reducing the risks of personal injury

In order to lay the foundation for the above, homeowners would be well-advised to take precautionary steps both in the fall and throughout the winter months as follows:

• Fall Garage Door Inspection and Maintenance
  • Lubricate all moving parts (except rollers/tracking)
  • Inspect and replace weather stripping if/as needed
  • Brush/wipe rollers/tracking and tighten all hardware
  • Ensure that garage door opener is working optimally
  • Upgrade the insulation (for steel and aluminum doors)
  • Paint/stain/seal exterior of the garage door accordingly
  • Repair or replace damaged door panels or window inserts
• Winter Garage and Garage Door Maintenance
  • Keep garage floor dry – collect/remove melted snow/ice
  • Prevent snow and ice build-up along the base of the door
  • Sweep away any road salt or sand from the base of door/tracks
  • Listen for strain in the motor/drive system of garage door opener
  • Watch/listen for sluggish, noisy, or imbalanced door movement

Applying these proactive maintenance measures throughout the fall and winter months can alleviate the inconvenience of a malfunctioning garage door or garage door opener as well as the expense associated with their repair.  Furthermore, should any potential or existing issues be identified during the inspection and maintenance phases, homeowners can prevent more extensive costly and damage by contacting a professional garage door repair provider, such as Markham Garage Doors, without delay.

Comprehensive Garage Door Repair and New Garage Door Installation Services

Sometimes, despite homeowners taking all of the right steps/measures, winter weather and storms can still get an upper hand on a garage door, in a manner of speaking, hence creating a need for service/repairs.  Depending on the extent of any damage, installation of a new door could be the best and/or only solution.

With respect to garage door repair, the skilled technicians from Markham Garage Doors are fully trained to service all makes and models of doors.  The Markham Garage Doors team can customarily provide same-day response to address and repair such issues as:

• Broken garage door springs and cables
• Malfunctioning/non-functioning door openers
• Doors that have jammed/come off the tracks
• Doors damaged via accidents/wind-blown debris
• Weather stripping flawed by icy/freezing conditions

In the event that a new garage door installation is required, Markham Garage Doors also offers a comprehensive selection of doors from leading manufacturers in North America, across all styles and price ranges, to meet varying homeowner needs.  The extent of this inventory can be viewed online or by a visit to their 1000 square-foot showroom, located at 176 Bullock Drive, Unit 11, in Markham.

Winter weather/storms can be especially detrimental to the condition and operation of a garage door.  If you would like a pre-winter garage door inspection and a tune-up or find yourself in need of repair or installation services over the winter, call the specialists at Markham Garage Doors at (905) 472-9178 or (416) 570-3667 to book a service visit.