There almost nothing as annoying as a garage door frozen shut. We are in the cold and frozen NW, where 80% of the time the temps are low and the clouds wont stop being full. As long as it keeps Washington & Oregon green and beautiful, It can also effect your garage door performance. It’s about that time of year again when we roll out the holiday decorations and embrace the festivities. It’s the season of giving and enjoying the warmth of our loved ones. However, the wintertime is far from warm. Along with the holidays comes the dreadful cold weather we all would rather deal without.
This unforgiving snowy weather can have many bothersome effects. Not only do you have to deal with icy roads all the time, but plumbing issues can surface, and your garage door might freeze shut. Luckily, if you face the latter, you can follow our guide below to help prevent your garage door from being frozen shut and unfreeze your appliance.
Ways to Prevent a Frozen Garage Door
If you never had to say that your garage door frozen shut, and if you haven’t dealt with a frozen garage door yet, but are concerned, we can help. There are many ways to prevent your garage door from sealing shut during the cold winter weather. For example, you could open and close your garage door every day. Proceed to learn more ways to prevent your garage door from freezing.
Clear The Snow
The first thing you should do is clear your driveway of any snow. Snow is the easiest way for your garage door to seal shut. If you are constantly receiving snow, you should try to do this daily.
Use Table Salt
Table salt is another great way to prevent your garage door from freezing. Table salt is typically used to prevent water from freezing and will keep your door at a low enough temperature so it won’t freeze. But keep in mind that this salt should be applied on the floor instead of the door itself.
Lubricate the Seal
The last way you can prevent this issue is by lubricating the seal. It’s best to use silicone-based oil since this is more effective and will keep the seal from freezing. Also, lubricate the springs, rollers, and hinges so that these parts don’t freeze. Find out more ways to weatherproof your garage door in our blog about the topic.
How to Unfreeze Your Garage Door
If you already have a frozen garage door, then be sure never to force it open, or it could cause damage. Instead, take a step-by-step approach to ensure your garage door remains intact. Follow the steps below to get started.
1. Clear The Snow/Scrape The Ice
To start, you should disengage the opener. The opener isn’t built to take on any extra weight, which is why you should do this manually. Once that is complete, you can officially begin by removing any snow near your garage door and scraping away the ice. An ice scraper will be ideal for cleaning up as much ice as possible without damaging the garage door.
2. Heat The Seal
If that doesn’t do the trick and there is still some ice left over, worry not. Simply heat the seal by either pouring hot water onto the ice or using a heat gun. If you plan to pour hot water on the ice, use a bucket of water that is hot to the touch. However, if this method isn’t quick enough, it could easily go wrong and cause more ice to get in your way. It is preferable to use a heat gun for this step. Whether you use a heat gun, blow dryer, or space heater, try to keep some distance between the door when you do this so that it won’t damage the appliance.
3. Open The Garage Door and Remove Any Water
Now that the ice is gone, check to see if you can open the door. Do this step manually and with help if needed. If you can open the door, turn the opener back on and remove any water from the garage floor.
Thunder Can Assist You With a Garage Door Frozen Shut
Now you are prepared for the holidays to roll on. The weather may be the worst part of the season to some, but this is one step to making it more bearable. You can also look into getting yourself an insulated garage door. If this is the route you want to take, rely on the team here at Thunder Garage Door & Locksmith Services to install your door with ease.