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How Winter Weather Affects Your Garage Door

Cold weather can cause various garage door issues that prevent efficient functionality. Since metal contracts in freezing temperatures, springs and tracks often endure significant damage. If your door is difficult to open or close, most likely, there is an issue preventing it from operating correctly.

While a garage is great for storing your vehicle, a malfunctioning door can compromise its safety and condition. Read further to determine how winter weather can adversely affect a garage door.

Icy Door Panels

Water melts and freezes due to fluctuating temperatures and icy conditions. As a result, ice can develop quickly in various areas outside your home, including beneath your garage door. Also, it can become trapped between the entry and frame, causing it to remain shut despite how much strength you use to force it open. Reading information about winter weather preparation can help you take precautions to preserve your door.

Severe Lubrication Issues

Lubricants allow your garage door to open efficiently and effortlessly. However, low temperatures can cause oil to thicken, leaving the door vulnerable to severe jamming. Also, specific surface areas can stretch if you fail to maintain them adequately.

One way to avoid lubrication issues during the winter is to use oils with low-pressure ratings. Additionally, it would help use an efficient product to keep specific garage door parts, such as rollers and hinges, operational.

Excessive Moisture Absorption

Consistent dampness can increase moisture absorption, causing your jambs to bulge. Your garage door is more prone to becoming wedged due to expanding metal and rubber components. Maintaining your gutters can help prevent buckling and water pressure.

Brittle and Weak Springs

Since garage door springs become fragile under icy conditions, they are more likely to break even under the slightest pressure. While they usually last up to 10,000 cycles, they endure significant wear and tear due to adverse winter weather. Natural elements such as a snowstorm or heavy, cold rain can gradually destroy the durability of each spring.

When temperatures drop, the best thing you can do is preserve your springs, ensuring they are well lubricated. However, your door may need a spring replacement if maintenance is ineffective.

Deformed Metal Components

Metal contracts during exposure to cold temperatures because molecules shrink in and around the area. The contraction can cause deformities and garage door track misalignment, preventing opening and closing. While a lubricant is a temporary solution, consider calling a specialist if the problem continues.

When it comes to the condition of your garage door, cold weather can cause severe destruction. Contact Lincoln Door via our website form or call 602-955-4144. We can perform a professional repair job and provide preventive maintenance to protect your door against further damage.

Applying Garage Door Lubricant

Noisy garage doors can be annoying to listen to, but the squeaking sounds that occur whenever you open or close your door can be a sign that you need to lubricate your door. When you don’t lubricate it regularly, you can make your door wear down faster. Applying a lubricant every two to three months extends the life of your garage door and helps your ears out in the meantime.

How to Lubricate Your Garage Door

Many people believe that they can spray some WD-40 onto their garage door components and be good to go. This is a common misconception and you’re actually damaging your garage door when you use WD-40. Instead of lubricating the parts, it’s stripping the lubricant away and causing the parts to grind against each other even more.

Choose a grease that’s lithium-based or shop at your hardware store for a lubricant that’s specifically meant for garages. This ensures that you have the right material. Before you get started, remember to take safety precautions such as wearing eye protection and a ventilation mask so that you’re not breathing in fumes and risking an eye injury.

Close the Door and Disconnect It

You don’t want to run the risk of someone arriving home and opening your door while you’re working, so it’s best to make sure that it’s disconnected during maintenance. Once it’s disconnected, inspect all of the components for dirt and grime. Wipe away anything you find that could add resistance to the path of the door.

Apply the Lubricant to All the Necessary Components

You need to add lubricant to the tracks, springs, rollers and hinges to be sure that the door is properly lubricated. The hinges and rollers are the most difficult components to lubricate when the door is closed, so it’s a good idea to apply lubricant to the tracks and springs first and save the hinges and rollers for last.

To apply the lubricant to your hinges and rollers, open the door gradually and apply the lubricant while the door is rising. This ensures that the lubricant coats the entire surface area of the rollers as they move. Once you’ve applied lubricant to all of the components, wipe down the excess and any that has spilled onto the ground. You don’t want a slip and fall risk on your floor.

Test the Door

Reconnect your garage door and open it to see if it’s still making noise on the way up and down. If lubricating it didn’t do the trick, you may need to do additional maintenance.

Lincoln Door has been installing and repairing garage doors since 1967. If your door is in need of routine maintenance, we can help. Give us a call at 602-955-4144 to learn more.

Why You Should Replace Your Garage Door in Autumn

If you are considering replacing your garage door, there is no time like the present. Although many people seem to think spring or summer are the best times to replace parts and perform general maintenance on one’s home, this couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, the fall is the perfect time to replace various parts of your home, and especially the garage door. So, if you are on the fence about replacing your garage door this fall, here are some reasons why you definitely should.

Waiting Until Winter is a Mistake

If you think you may need to replace your garage door soon, you should do it now, rather than waiting until you have no choice. If your garage door is damaged or otherwise malfunctioning, odds are, it will only get worse as we go deeper into the colder seasons. Getting your garage door replaced in the dead of winter is often tricky. If you are experiencing extreme weather or temperatures, your appointment is likely to be pushed back to a date on which these issues are less likely to occur. So, if you’re in an area that is prone to especially harsh winters, it will likely be weeks or even months before you can get a replacement.

Cold/Hot Weather Exposure

Additionally, since the garage opening will be exposed during the process of replacing the door, it is best to have it replaced when the weather is the least threatening. On the one hand, the summer months are sweltering, and as we know, the winter months are frigid. On the other hand, waiting until spring will likely be too late. Also, the spring may also include lots of rain, which can also make replacing your garage door difficult. However, the fall typically has weather that is mild enough to allow for the quick replacement of your garage door.

Extreme Weather and Garage Mechanisms

Lastly, if your garage behaves sluggishly, this problem will likely worsen in the winter months. Extreme weather can cause garage door mechanisms to malfunction, even when they are in good condition. So, if your garage door is already in questionable condition, if you wait until the winter, it is likely to stop working altogether.

Getting your garage door replaced doesn’t have to wait. Rather than putting it off until later, having it replaced in the fall is one of the best ways to ensure your garage door remains in working order all year round. Contact Lincoln Door today and make sure you have experts helping you right away!

Summer Garage Door Maintenance Tips

Summer is an excellent time to complete home maintenance, especially on components like your garage door. The average garage door lasts 15 to 20 years, but it all depends on how well you take care of it. During the summer months, there are several things you should do to keep your garage door reliable.

Inspect the Hardware

Visually inspecting the hardware on your garage door is one of the easiest things you can do. Check for clear signs of wear and tear, such as missing bolts, misalignment, or loose hinges. Fixing these issues in their early stages prevents more expensive repairs down the road.

Lubricate Moving Hardware

Lubrication is key to smooth movements and preventing excessive wear and tear. Use a three-in-one type of oil to lubricate any moving parts to eliminate noise and keep parts running smoothly. Never use grease.

Wash Your Garage Door

It’s essential to wash your garage door every summer to remove grease, dirt, and other grime. Use water and a mild house detergent to complete the cleaning process. It’s the best option for steel and aluminum doors.

Paint It

Once your garage door is clean, you can evaluate whether it needs a new coat of paint. Either use the same color to refresh your garage door or consider giving it a whole new look.

Insulate the Garage Door

Insulation is a key component for any garage door, not just in the winter months when a warm garage is beneficial. Proper insulation during the summer months keeps the heat out of the garage and the air conditioning inside, increasing the overall energy efficiency of your home. Checking the insulation between your house and garage is also essential to keep warm air from the garage out of your home.

Reinforce the Door

If you live in an area susceptible to severe weather, reinforcing your garage door is essential. Check for holes or openings in your garage door that can cause issues during severe weather events. Patching these holes will protect your home from damage when bad weather hits.

Remove Rust

If your garage door is made of steel, rust can be problematic over time. Be sure to check for rust in its earliest stages, so you can stop the problem before it gets worse. If you notice signs of rust, sand the area and use a primer and paint to restore the damage and stop rust progression. Your garage door will last longer and look fantastic.

Test Your Garage Door

After you have repaired any damage and completed necessary maintenance, it’s time to test your garage door to check how well it operates. Pay close attention to the sounds and visible performance of your garage door when you open and close it. If anything seems out of place or it makes unusual noises, hire the professionals to diagnose and repair your garage door.

Call Lincoln Door Today!

In 1967 Lincoln Door opened as the premier family owned and operated door company in Arizona. In our 50 years of business we have expanded from repairing and replacing residential garage doors and openers. Lincoln Door now boasts one of the most respected Automatic Door divisions in Arizona with technicians certified in AADMS. We also service and replace commercial doors and motors, gate operators, storefront doors, hollow metal doors, full-view glass doors, and of course we still have a responsive and knowledgeable residential department.  Contact our team today!

image of garage door spring

The Differences in Garage Door Springs

Your garage door’s springs play a very important role in the smooth opening and closing of the door itself. Specifically, these springs are designed to counteract the forces of gravity on your garage door, making it easier for the motor to open and close the door—and also making it possible for you to open and close the door manually in the event of a power outage.

Still, not all garage door springs are the same. There are two main types: torsion and extension springs. By understanding the differences between each and how to know when your springs need replacing, you can take better care of your home’s garage doors.

Torsion Springs

A torsion spring is located inside a metal shaft that is located above the garage door opening itself. The main function of this type of spring is to ensure that weight is distributed equally along the garage door drums as the door opens and closes.

There are a few different kinds of torsion springs, including early-set, torque-master, and standard torsion springs. While they all operate in more-or-less the same way, the standard torsion spring is most commonly used in residential garage doors.

Depending on the weight and size of the garage door, there may be one or two of these springs used in a residential garage door.

Extension Springs

Another type of garage door spring is known as an extension spring. This type of spring works by storing energy while extended and expending energy while compressed. In a typical residential garage door, there will be an extension spring installed on either side of the door to ensure even tension and weight distribution during open and closing.

Just as there are different types of torsion springs, there are also different types of extension springs. The most common in residential garage doors is the open-looped spring, although double-looped springs are also used in situations where more strength is needed.

When to Replace Springs

Most springs on a garage door will be rated by the manufacturer to last for a certain number of cycles (usually around 10,000) before needing to be replaced. In most cases, you can expect a standard garage door spring on a residential door to last anywhere from four to six years with an average use of several times per day. Of course, if you use your garage door less often or more often, your results may vary.

If your garage door uses extension springs, keep in mind that when one spring goes bad, you’ll need to replace both of them at once to ensure proper operation. With a torsion spring, on the other hand, you may only need to replace one spring if your door only requires one spring to open and close.

Always Hire a Professional

You should never attempt to replace a garage door spring yourself. These springs carry a large amount of stored energy when under tension and can cause serious injury if you don’t have the proper experience and knowledge.

Working with a garage door specialist is always the best and safest way to have your existing garage door springs removed and replaced. From there, you can expect your new springs to last for many years to come before needing to be replaced again. Contact our garage door professionals today to schedule your spring replacement!

image of Man fixing garage door

How to Maintain Your Garage Door

Did you know your garage door goes up and down about 1500 times a year? That’s a lot of ups and downs and a lot of wear and tear, which makes maintenance all the more important. Garage doors are expensive but they tend to last a couple of decades or more if you take care of them. Keep reading to learn some of the top tips you can use to maintain a garage door so it lasts as long as possible.

Keep an Eye and Ear on the Door

When you close and open the garage door, make sure to listen for any odd noises and to watch for any kinks in its movement. It should run fairly smoothly in its tracks. If you hear any loud grinding, scraping or banging noises, stop the garage door from moving any further and examine where the noise was coming from. Loud noises coming from a garage door often indicate worn-out parts that can easily be replaced if you replace them before they damage any other pieces. If you notice jerky movements, there’s probably an issue with one of the pulleys, cables or springs. One of these pieces is usually damaged or out of place when the door won’t go up and down smoothly.

Inspect the Clean the Tracks Regularly

Garage doors don’t require a whole lot of your attention, but you do need to clean the tracks regularly. The tracks should always appear perfectly straight and perpendicular to the floor. To clean the tracks, you’ll want to use carburetor cleaner. The goal is to remove any dirt and debris off the tracks. Just make sure you don’t use a lubricant of any kind to clean the tracks as this can cause slipperiness. When the garage door goes up and down on slippery tracks, it can dislodge the rollers.

Tighten the Door’s Hardware

Because garage doors produce a lot of vibration as they go up and down, this can result in its regular movements causing its parts to loosen over time. To ensure all bolts, rollers and hinges are tight like they should be, you can examine and tighten them with a socket wrench once every couple of months.

Inspect the Rollers

The rollers on the garage door that run along the tracks will become damaged over time by cracking or chipping. You can inspect and replace one at a time as they need it, but if more than a couple need to be replaced at any time, it’s usually best to contact a professional garage repair company to perform the task.

Always Test Safety Features

Another great way to keep the garage door working as it should is to test its safety features on a regular basis. It’s imperative to test the pressure sensor on the door as well as its photoelectric system. With both of these safety features working as they should, you will not only extend the longevity of the door but also rest easier knowing the door will freeze if something was to obstruct its path; this greatly reduces the risk of injury or damage to the object or person in the obstruction path of the door.