Simple Tricks to Keep Your Garage Door From Freezing Shut

We’re in the home stretch of winter folks. That means slushy, sleety, wet, windy, and all-around gross weather is on its way out the door.

Last month, we here at the Overhead Door Company of W Kentucky went over some ways to help you maintain your garage door during the winter. However, to help get you through these fleeting, frosty February days, it helps to know a few additional tricks to keep it from freezing shut.

 

Sometimes, You Just Gotta Shovel

Shoveling is a pain. We’re not trying to argue otherwise. But there’s a reason we throw on our snow gear and scrape our big plastic shovels against the concrete – it works. If you don’t want your garage door to freeze, you have to try your best to keep it clean. Just brushing away excess ice and snow in between the times when you go out to shovel the full driveway is usually enough to prevent the build-up that causes garage doors to freeze shut.

Feel the Heat

If you keep your garage door clean on the outside, you might as well try to keep it warm on the inside. Keeping a pair of small, sturdy space heaters handy will not only make the morning trudge to your car a bit easier, they’ll also help to keep the weather seal (that’s the fancy name for that thin piece of rubber on the bottom of your garage door) from cracking and the battery in your opener from draining – just make sure to be mindful of the cords and unplug them when you’re not using them.

Look in the Pantry

Ice melt is helpful to have around for the entire winter yet it’s something we usually don’t think about until it’s too late. In those instances when you need something to break down icy build-up, look no further than your pantry for assistance. Both table and Kosher salt are serviceable replacements for the heavy-duty stuff. Just sprinkle a little seasoning near the weather seal, let it marinate and watch as your garage door returns to its former glory.

Just Add Water

If you do go outside one morning and find that your garage door has frozen shut, it’s time to double down on the H2O. Pouring a small amount of warm (not boiling!) water on the weather seal could be the answer to unsticking it and preventing you from having to take more drastic steps.

 

If you’d like any additional tips or think you might need to replace the weather seal on your garage door, call the trained professionals at the Overhead Door Company of W Kentucky today!

(270) 554-5162