Hot Weather and Your Garage Door

There have been a lot of words written about the effects of extreme winter weather on the garage door. And rightfully so. Extremely cold temperatures and snowy, icy conditions that come with them are tough on everything: from house paint to plants to your car and the garage door. What isn’t talked about quite as often is the potential negative effects of extreme summer weather on the garage door and its constituent parts. Because, just as extreme cold can interfere with the normal operation of your door so too can extreme heat lead to situations where you may have to call for garage door repair.

How to Minimize the Need for Garage Door Repair in Summer

During the worst winter months the various components of the garage door are subjected to all sorts of stresses born of temperature and precipitation extremes. Parts get brittle, lubrication becomes less effective and the door may even become frozen to the ground on occasion. When the weather finally breaks it seems the garage door will get a reprieve from weather-related hardships. But when the dog days of summer kick in they bring with them their own set of horrors which we’ll go over now.

• Expansion - In the winter time many of the parts of the garage door will contract in the cold weather. The opposite of contraction is of course expansion, and that’s what awaits your door during those blistering hot days of July and August. Every component of your garage door - from its panels to its springs and hinges - expand slightly during the day and then contract again when the sun goes down. This can have the effect of loosening screws and compromising the way various parts of the door fit together.
• The effect on lubrication - When the temperature plummets some lubricants can actually freeze and lose their ability to facilitate the smooth operation of the door. The summer can also have a negative effect on the lubrication of your door. Some lubricants will break down in extreme heat, becoming of little more use than water. Make sure you talk to your garage door repair company to find out what kind of lubricant you should be using during the summer months to ensure smooth operation of the door and prevent having to call for garage door repair in Loveland, Broomfield or Denver.
• Messing with the electric eye - The auto reverse feature on the modern garage door has prevented countless accidents by stopping the door from closing on adults, kids and pets that might find themselves under the door as it’s closing. In the vast majority of cases this simple safety feature works like a charm. The person or pet breaks the beam emanating from the electric eye, the door stops, then reverses and returns safely to the open position.

However, it has become apparent in recent years that intense sunlight can interfere with the operation of this important sensor and prevent it from doing its job. This could lead to a dangerous situation where the sensor does not detect the presence of your child or pet, leading to an accident. In other cases you may drive away naturally thinking the door will close behind you. When in fact what happens is that as you drive out of sight sunlight interferes with the sensor and the door opens again. It then stays open until someone else in the house notices it or you return later in the day. Not a good situation. To prevent this make sure the auto close sensor is always located in a shady part of the garage. If need be a shade should be constructed for it. Your Broomfield garage door repair company can help.

• Effects of heat and humidity on the wood - Wooden garage door panels have a classic look to them that goes with just about any home style. However, wood is susceptible to extremes of temperature that can, over time, affect its structural integrity. Humidity is another risk factor that can impose itself on the underlying integrity of the wood and require you to call someone to fix the garage door. The best way to protect your door from the scourge of heat and humidity is to give it a good weather-resistant coating during the springtime. Make sure that whoever paints the door does the inside as well, since the humidity inside the garage is typically the same as it is outside.
• Storm damage - Here’s something you may not know: since 1950 there have been more than 2,000 tornadoes in Colorado registering F1 or higher. Even the least impressive of these cyclonic nightmares can drive all manner of dirt and debris in front of it at incredible speeds. They also shred trees and send the remnants hurtling through the air often through the panels and windows of your garage door. If a flying branch or other debris impacts your door you’ll need to call for garage door repair in Boulder, CO pronto. A damaged door is not only an eyesore it’s also an energy waster and a risk to your safety< and security.

Extreme weather is no easier on your garage door than it is on any other part of your home. In order to ensure your overhead door is performing the way it was designed to call A Better Garage Door. We’re the garage door opener repair, garage door installation and garage door maintenance experts more Denver area homeowners trust than any other.