Factors That Affect the Operation of a Garage Door in the Winter

Winter Weather Conditions Can Result in a Need for Garage Door Repair Service

After an unseasonably mild and snow-free beginning to winter, the inevitability of stormy weather and cold temperatures have finally arrived.  This means that many winter rituals have also returned, such as wearing warmer clothing, enjoying a cup of hot chocolate, and stocking up on rock salt and windshield washer fluid.

Okay, these may not be rituals in the purest sense but they are common comforts and safety practices for a vast number of homeowners, in much the same way that they take solace in knowing that their garage door is working properly – especially on those bitter cold days and nights when homeowners want to enter or exit their garages quickly and effortlessly and without having to deal with the outside elements.

Unfortunately, winter weather and temperatures can conspire to derail the reliability of a garage door and hence disrupt the homeowner’s desire, make that need, for a smoothly functioning garage door throughout this season; in other words, that are climate conditions that can make a garage door bang, clang, stick, and even fail altogether during the winter, in contrast to quieter and more dependable opening-and-closing at other times of the year.

Much of the sub-par performance of a garage door in winter can be directly attributed to cold temperatures, although wind, snow, and ice, or any combinations thereof, can have adverse effects on doors and automatic door openers too.  These environmental factors can produce a number of conditions that will cause a garage door or door-opening device to malfunction or fail altogether throughout winter season:

• Metal contraction
• Wood frame contraction
• Hardening of vinyl or rubber
• Cracking/shattering of plastic
• Moisture absorption (wood doors)
• Increased viscosity of grease/lubricants

As a result of such circumstances, garage doors and their accessories may be subjected to several types of minor or major damage, including:

• Broken springs or cables
• Bent or misaligned tracking
• Cracked/split or frozen rollers
• Shifted or imbalanced door weight
• Ineffective weather stripping/gaskets
• Excessive strain on door opener motors
• Seized or corroded hardware/metal parts
• Interference with the safety reversal system setup

If any of the above issues arise throughout the winter, they will undoubtedly require the services of garage door repair professionals to rectify the matter quickly and efficiently in order to restore full function to the garage door or opener and alleviate the associated inconveniences to the homeowner and their family.

When such actions are required, homeowners can rely on the award-winning services of Markham Garage Doors, a recognized leader in the repair and replacement of garage doors in Toronto and the GTA.

Garage Door Spring Repair is a Common Consequence of Winter Temperatures

When temperatures drop, garage door springs are often prone to breaking, especially if they have been in routine use for several years.  Cold weather can cause a metal spring to stiffen or become brittle, which in turn affects its response/movement when opening or closing the door; due to the weight of the door, the affected spring experiences undue or excessive pressure, causing it to break or snap.

Whether garage doors are raised and lowered manually or by automatic door openers, it is actually the springs that do the majority of the work; therefore, when a spring breaks, it can essentially incapacitate the door and, depending on the circumstances, also cause severe damage to the door, its components, and/or its accessories.

In such cases, homeowners will benefit from the services of garage door spring repair experts like the technicians from Markham Garage Doors.  These specialists will respond quickly and efficiently to ensure that:

• The spring repair is completed in a safe and proper manner
• A thorough inspection is done to assess any residual damage
• Any other necessary repairs are addressed (cables, hardware)
• The weight of the garage door is properly balanced/re-established
• The garage door opener is inspected, reset, and tested accordingly

Furthermore, in the event that any secondary damage is sufficient enough to warrant a full garage door replacement, the team from Markham Garage Doors can expedite this action to minimize the amount of inconvenience and disruption created by the lack of a functioning door.

If the cold temperatures this winter affect the operation of your garage door, including a snapped or broken spring, call the repair specialists from Markham Garage Doors today at (416) 570-3667 or (905) 472-9178 to schedule a service call as soon as possible and limit the inconvenience that any garage door issues cause for you and your family.