Preparing Your Garage Door for Summer: Essential Tips

2024-01-10 7 min read

# Preparing Your Garage Door for Summer: Essential Tips

As temperatures rise in Colorado Springs, your garage door faces unique challenges. The summer heat can affect everything from the lubricant on your tracks to the seal on your weatherstripping. This guide will help you prepare your garage door for the summer months, ensuring reliable operation and protecting your home from the elements.

Why Summer Preparation Matters

Summer in Colorado brings extreme temperature swings, afternoon thunderstorms, and intense UV radiation. These conditions can:

- Cause metal components to expand and contract - Dry out lubricants and seals - Fade and damage door finishes - Create moisture issues during monsoon season

Proper preparation addresses these challenges before they become expensive problems.

Essential Summer Preparation Steps

1. Inspect and Replace Weatherstripping

The weatherstripping around your garage door creates a seal that keeps out heat, dust, insects, and moisture. Over time, this seal deteriorates, especially under summer's harsh conditions.

Examine the weatherstripping along the bottom of your door and around the door frame. Look for: - Cracks or brittleness - Gaps when the door is closed - Flattened or compressed sections that no longer spring back - Signs of pest damage

Replacing worn weatherstripping is relatively inexpensive and can significantly improve your garage's insulation, potentially reducing cooling costs for attached garages.

2. Lubricate Moving Parts

Summer heat can cause lubricants to dry out faster than usual. Before the hottest months arrive, apply fresh lubricant to:

- Rollers (if not sealed nylon) - Hinges - Springs (light application only) - Tracks (sides, not the inside where rollers run) - Chain or screw drive

Use a silicone-based or lithium-based lubricant designed for garage doors. These products resist heat better than general-purpose lubricants and won't attract dust.

3. Check and Adjust Spring Tension

Temperature changes cause springs to expand and contract, which can affect door balance. A properly balanced door should stay in place when you lift it halfway and let go. If it falls or rises on its own, the springs need adjustment.

Important: Torsion spring adjustment is dangerous and should only be performed by professionals. If you suspect your springs need adjustment, call Colorado Garage Pros at 720-679-7226.

4. Test Safety Features

Summer is when families are most active, with kids playing in and around the garage. This makes it essential to ensure your safety features are working properly.

Test the auto-reverse function by placing a 2x4 flat on the ground in the door's path. The door should reverse immediately upon touching the board. Also test the photo-eye sensors by waving an object through the beam while the door is closing – it should reverse immediately.

5. Inspect and Treat the Door Surface

Summer sun can fade and damage your garage door's finish. Inspect for: - Peeling or bubbling paint - Cracks in wood doors - Fading or discoloration - Rust spots on steel doors

Consider applying a fresh coat of paint or sealant to protect your door from UV damage. For steel doors, touch up any rust spots with a rust-inhibiting primer and matching paint.

Beat the Heat: Insulation Tips

If your garage is attached to your home, proper insulation can significantly reduce cooling costs. Consider:

- Adding insulation panels to your garage door - Ensuring the wall between your garage and living space is properly insulated - Installing a radiant barrier on the inside of your garage roof - Using a garage door threshold seal to prevent cool air from escaping

Prepare for Summer Storms

Colorado's summer monsoon season brings intense thunderstorms. Prepare your garage door by:

- Clearing debris from tracks and gutters above the door - Checking that your door seals properly against driving rain - Testing your opener's battery backup (if equipped) - Knowing how to manually open your door in case of power outage

Schedule a Professional Tune-Up

The best way to prepare for summer is with a professional inspection and tune-up. Our technicians can identify potential problems before they cause failures during the hottest months when you need your garage door most.

At Colorado Garage Pros, we offer comprehensive summer tune-up packages that include: - Complete lubrication - Safety feature testing - Hardware inspection and tightening - Balance check and adjustment - Weatherstrip inspection - Written report of findings and recommendations

Don't Wait for Problems

The worst time to deal with garage door issues is during a heat wave or after a summer storm. Prepare now, and you'll enjoy worry-free operation all season long. Contact Colorado Garage Pros today at 720-679-7226 to schedule your summer preparation service.

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