The winter season causes extra stress to all the moving components of a house. After the days become shorter, the roof, the boiler, even the windows receive special attention. The garage door is not normally included in that list, even though it is one of the largest openings in any house. A door that does not close may admit draughts, especially during the winter months and will introduce undue wear and tear into the moving parts of the door. 

Why worry about winter at all? 

Thousands of times a year, garage doors open and close. Springs become longer, rollers wear out, and tracks are covered with dirt. Introduce cold, damp air and the tension is increased. In the cold, metals contract, lubricants become thick, rubber seals become hard and crack. What was good in the summer grinds and sticks, when the weather is hot, becomes bad in the winter grinds and sticks, when the weather is cold. Some preparation will save future repair. 

Check the balance and motion 

Start with how the door moves. Unhook the opener and open the door by hand. When you leave it halfway it should go up easily and remain in position. When it collapses or launches up, then the springs are not in balance. That is not a DIY task. The springs are highly strained and not safe to work on without the appropriate equipment. However, when you know that the balance is off, then you can have it repaired before the cold of winter complicates the issue. 

Listen, as you open and close the door. Scraping, grinding or squeaking is an indication of worn-out rollers or debris in the tracks. Wipe the tracks using a brush and light detergent. Do not apply heavy grease in the tracks, it will only collect more dirt. Rollers that are wobbly or chipped will have to be replaced. 

How important are seals? 

Very. The bottom seal prevents rain, snow and draughts. It shrinks or disintegrates with time. When you can see light under the door or when you can feel cold air blowing in, the seal has blown. Spares are readily available and can immediately add to the comfort of the garage and rooms close to it. 

Inspect side and top weatherstripping. These rubber strips contract and become hard with time. In case they are missing or loose, replace them with new ones before the winter arrives. Not only do they keep the cold air out; they keep leaves, grit and rodents out too. 

Before the cold bites, lubrication. 

Old grease is thickened in cold weather. Hinges, springs and rollers require new lubricant in winter. Apply a garage door lubricant, not ordinary oil, but silicone or lithium based. Spray on moving parts lightly, wipe off excess and repeat the process of cycling the door a few times. This minimises noise, allows parts to move freely and minimises opener stress. 

Also, do not forget the locks in case your door has them. A spray of graphite powder prevents their freezing or sticking when the frost comes. 

Insulation: is it any different? 

The garage is located either below or adjacent to living spaces in most houses. Without an insulated door, heat loss is inevitable. The cold air escapes to the kitchens and bedrooms through the floor. When your door is made of one thin sheet of steel, you need to research on the installation of insulation panels or the purchase of an insulated model. 

Gap sealing has a massive impact even in cases where it is not completely replaced. Brush seals and draught excluders reduce the flow of cold air. It will not transform the garage into a lounge room, but it does remove the sting and it will also lessen the burden on your heating system. 

Keep the opener ready 

Having an electric opener, now give it a try. Install better remote batteries and make sure that the safety sensors are in place. Clean the sensor lenses with a brush – the beam will be blocked by a cobweb. In case your opener has a backup battery, verify it by disconnecting the motor and opening and closing the door. Winter storms cause power outage and the last thing you would want is to be stuck out in the cold rain. 

Clean before freeze 

The autumn accumulates dirt and road grime. They are ground on rollers and tracks and they freeze with each cycle. Wipe the door outside with warm soapy water. Wipe the inside as well, particularly where there are hinges and corners. This also ensures the finish on the steel doors is not corroded by road salt which is very corrosive when sprayed up by tyres. 

Look at rust spots, peeling paint, or swollen wood in case you have a wood door. Attend to minor problems now, before they become big problems due to rain. In damp air rust will soon appear and wood will swell and then shrink as it turns between wet and frozen.  

Is professional maintenance useful? 

Yes. A professional technician is able to check the tension of the springs, wear on the cables, the force settings in the openers, and other things that cannot be handled by the majority of homeowners and are unsafe. Preseason service prior to winter is a guarantee of the entire system being in readiness of increased use. It also provides you with an opportunity to identify minor problems before they cost you a fortune to fix. 

Perfection is not an issue when getting your garage door ready for winter. It is all little things that add up seals that keep out the draughts, lubricant that keeps jam off, balance tests that keep springs off. There is work now that is less of a bother in cold weather. An easy-to-open garage door on a cold morning, one that keeps out cold air and can stand up to salt and moisture of winter is one less thing to worry about when the weather changes.