Preparing Your Garage Door for Summer: Essential Tips
2024-02-20 6 min read
# Preparing Your Garage Door for Summer: Essential Tips
As temperatures climb in Central Washington.often exceeding 100°F in July and August.your garage door faces unique challenges. Heat causes metal components to expand, lubricants to thin, and weatherstripping to deteriorate. Proper summer preparation keeps your door operating smoothly and helps protect your garage's interior from extreme heat.
Why Summer Maintenance Matters
Your garage door is the largest moving component of your home, and summer heat affects every part of it:
- Metal expansion can cause binding and misalignment - Heat accelerates lubricant breakdown, increasing friction and wear - Weatherstripping hardens and cracks under UV exposure - Opener motors work harder in extreme heat - Springs lose tension more quickly in temperature fluctuations
Pre-Summer Checklist
Complete these tasks before the heat arrives to prevent summer breakdowns:
1. Visual Inspection
Start with a thorough visual inspection of your entire door system:
- Check all cables for fraying or wear, Look for rust on springs, tracks, and hardware, Inspect rollers for cracks or flat spots, Examine weatherstripping for gaps or deterioration, Look for dents or damage on door panels
2. Clean the Tracks
Dirty tracks cause extra strain on your opener and can lead to the door coming off track:
- Use a damp cloth to wipe down tracks, Remove any debris, cobwebs, or insect nests, Don't use WD-40 or grease.these attract more dirt, Check that tracks are properly aligned
3. Lubricate Moving Parts
Fresh lubrication is essential before summer heat:
What to Lubricate: - Hinges (pivot points) - Roller bearings (not nylon rollers themselves) - Spring coils, Cable drums, Lock mechanism
Best Lubricant Choices: - Silicone-based garage door lubricant (preferred) - White lithium grease for metal-on-metal contact, Avoid petroleum-based products that attract dust
4. Test the Balance
An unbalanced door makes your opener work harder.a recipe for summer failure:
1. Disconnect the opener (pull the emergency release) 2. Manually lift the door halfway 3. Let go.it should stay in place 4. If it falls or rises, the springs need adjustment
Important: Spring adjustment is dangerous. Call a professional if your door is unbalanced.
5. Check the Weatherstripping
Weatherstripping is your first defense against summer heat infiltration:
- Bottom seal should make full contact with the floor, Side and top seals should be pliable, not cracked, Replace any hardened or damaged seals, Consider upgrading to a threshold seal for better heat blocking
Summer-Specific Tips
Protect Your Opener Motor
Garage door openers are especially vulnerable to summer heat:
- Ensure adequate ventilation in your garage, Consider a fan or ventilation system for attached garages, If your garage regularly exceeds 90°F, limit door cycles during peak heat, Listen for labored motor sounds.a sign of overheating
Insulation Considerations
If you use your garage as a workshop or it's attached to your home:
- Consider insulated garage door panels, Add weatherstripping to all gaps, Insulated doors can reduce garage temperatures by 10-20°F, This also reduces stress on door components
Paint and Finish Care
Summer sun is brutal on garage door finishes:
- Wash your door monthly with mild soap and water, Avoid pressure washing.it can damage seals and paint, Touch up any chips or scratches to prevent rust, Consider a UV-protective sealant on wooden doors
Signs of Summer Stress
Watch for these indicators that heat is affecting your door:
- Door moves slower than usual, Opener runs longer to complete cycles, Unusual grinding or squeaking sounds, Door doesn't close all the way, Increased vibration during operation
When to Call for Help
Contact George Garage Doors for:
- Balance adjustment (spring work) - Track realignment, Opener motor issues, Weatherstripping replacement, Any unusual sounds or behaviors
Our summer schedule fills up quickly.schedule your pre-summer tune-up early! Regular maintenance visits cost $149 and include a complete 25-point inspection plus lubrication.
Emergency Summer Tips
If your door stops working in extreme heat:
1. Don't force it.you could cause additional damage 2. Check if the opener is overheated (wait 15-20 minutes for it to cool) 3. Manually open the door using the emergency release 4. Call for service.we offer same-day emergency appointments
Contact George Garage Doors at (509) 295-9201 for summer maintenance and repairs!