Winter in Wisconsin can hit us, and it can hit us hard, especially when we’re not prepared for it. Thus, we should always aim to prepare your most valued possessions in time for winter. Obviously, we want to prepare our house, including the garage for it. So how do we prepare a garage door for winter?
Make sure the hardware is in place
Your garage door has a lot of moving parts and movement to do, so the hardware can become a bit loose. To prevent this from causing problems it would be smart to tighten them all up. All you need to do is get a socket wrench and use it to tighten all the roller brackets and the bolts. This will keep your garage door in a better shape during the cold winter times.
Keep the springs lubricated
The springs can get quite stiff when the cold hits, and if you don’t want them to break, it would be smart to lubricate them about once a month. You can easily do this yourself and it can save you from having to replace the springs, which is one of the most common repairs for garage doors.
Get a new weather stripping
When it starts getting colder and even starts snowing, the last thing you want is to have a bad weather stripping that will allow the cold air and perhaps snow to enter the garage. Therefore, it is smart to get a new weather stripping, if yours is old, to prepare your garage door for the winter. You don’t want any snow entering your house in the midst of winter.
Prepare your outdoor faucets
You don’t want your pipes to freeze during winter, so it’s important to prepare your outdoor faucets. First, you want to disconnect and drain all hoses. You also want to drain the exterior faucets and apply all the shut-off valves to protect your pipes from the cold winter temperatures.
Check if both cables are in good condition
The cables that get your garage door up and down should be in good condition, so it is smart to check for damage or any broken strands or rust are showing. If something does turn out to be out of place it is best to get this fixed before it becomes really cold.
Check the condition of your rollers
Rollers need to be inspected regularly, and they also need to be replaced every 5-10 years on average, or sooner when they’re in a bad condition. When you do notice that they’re chipped, cracked, or just worn out, you should replace them as soon as possible and prevent the door from coming off the tracks.
Clean up the garage
You may be dreading to do this, especially when you’ve put it off for a long time, but it’s probably the smartest thing to do. Not only will your garage be a lot cleaner, you will also be able to pull out the tools you might need for winter, like a shovel.
When you’ve done all this, your garage door should be completely ready for the winter and your car and any of the appliances in your garage should be safe. We recommend you prepare this well before winter. It’s no fun trying to prepare a garage door in the cold snow.