How Does the Weather Affect My Garage Door?

by | Dec 18, 2020 | Garage Doors

How Does the Weather Affect My Garage Door?

While you’re sitting comfortably inside your home, shielded from the cloudy west Michigan sky, your garage door is facing the elements and protecting whatever you may have stored within the structure’s interior. Having a quality garage door is key to keeping your property safe, but any garage door can be adversely affected by weather. From wind to rain, and frost to snow, nature can take its toll on your garage door’s functions. If you’re curious about how your garage door is altered by the weather, continue reading to find out more.

Moisture

Muskegon seamless gutters, or gutters in any west Michigan county, are a must. On average, Michigan gets around 34 inches of rain per year. Gutters are utilized to catch rainwater, and, without them, water can seep into your property’s structure, including the garage. If your garage is wooden, it will expand and contract when wet. This is especially important if the frame is wooden. A wooden frame that’s been exposed to moisture will swell and cause the garage door to get stuck. When exposed to too much moisture, swelling is irreversible. Humidity can also cause a door to stick to the seal. Apply a topcoat to prevent wood from breaking down when moisture is a factor.

Hot weather affecting garage door

Heat and Sunlight

Although Michigan may be mostly cloudy, there are sunny days and, in a way, similar to humans, a garage can be blinded by the light. What if your garage door won’t close during the day? This may be because garage doors have one sensor on each side. These sensors are called photo eyes and are utilized to prevent the garage door from closing when a person or animal is trying to pass under it. Sunlight can trick photo eyes, so that they’ll assume there’s an object blocking the garage door, preventing it from shutting. To correct this issue you can either shade or tent the photo eyes with paper. Heat can also cause electronics to fail. Have you been wondering why your garage door won’t close when it’s hot? Heat may be the culprit if your garage door doesn’t open or close properly. Batteries can even be drained because of the heat. High temperatures can weaken a battery’s charge, so if your battery seems to be dying, change it as soon as possible.

Cold

Winter is also hazardous for a garage door. The cold alters a garage door’s components and increases the amount of pressure on door springs, causing them to break. A thin layer of lubricant will assist with contracting metal, but too much may harden, causing more problems than solutions. Hardened grease has to be scraped away, otherwise the garage door won’t function as intended. Extreme cold may cause garage doors to freeze shut at the base. Be mindful of the weather and shovel away ice and snow away from the garage’s bottom seal. Ensure your weather seal hasn’t broken down with age, otherwise it may capture snow. Even the interior of a garage can be affected by the cold. If your garage door isn’t insulated, you may find the garage itself uncomfortably chilly. You can either have insulation added, or purchase a replacement garage door that is already insulated.

Natural Disasters

Michigan is also windy and strong winds may cause unintended damage, like from fallen tree branches or even the tree itself. Tornados are also possibilities. It’s best to reinforce garage doors, but still note they should not be used for shelter in case of a tornado. Reinforcing is utilized to lessen damage to the garage itself in case of a natural disaster.

From rain to cold, heat, to sunlight, garages are manmade and fighting with the elements can be a challenge. Investing in a high-quality garage door can help it withstand extreme temperature changes that come and go with the seasons. Weather affects your garage door, but with proper care, your door can hold up against harsh Michigan weather. Whether you require garage door repair in Allendale, or Coopersville, or even garage door parts, Shepherd Shoreline is here to service your garage and assist you with your needs.

 

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