Garage doors don’t like extreme climates. And while one would think that winter is the main enemy, it’s the summer that makes them suffer the most. That’s due to all this overheating, the annoying humidity, and the long hours under the sun.
It’s no wonder that one reason why most consumers invest in energy-efficient garage doors is to have good temperatures indoors in summer. Now, the problems multiply during the hot months since the garage door performance is compromised due to the high temperatures.
Which are the most common garage door problems during the hot season?
1. Garage door overheating – this may happen when the garage door is used too much in a short period of time and things get worst when it’s particularly hot. The best thing to do is wait until the garage door motor cools down.
2. Garage door color fading – it may take some time for colors to fade but it happens eventually. This may be an aesthetic problem but it’s still a concern since it reflects on your house’s appearance and resale value.
3. Safety sensors false alarm – the photo eyes of your garage door opener operate based on a beam that signals the presence of someone or something under the descending door. In this case, the job of the photo eyes is to stop and reverse the door. Direct sunlight may confuse the photo eyes into believing that the sunlight is the beam and thus, activate the garage door’s descendance. To avoid this from happening and thus, security concerns, get eyeshades or find ways to keep the sensors protected from the sunlight.
4. Power outages – they happen a lot during the summer due to thunderstorms or excessive use of air conditioning units in an area. Get a garage door opener replacement with a battery backup system. Still, it’s best if you learn how to use your garage door manually.
5. Loud noises and damage – when it’s hot, metal parts expand and the lubricants dry out. That’s a bad combination – one that makes garage doors loud and cause damage to the parts. Of course, the solution is to lubricate the moving parts and try to keep the garage cool.
6. High humidity – it gets humid in summer. And when it does, garage doors stick and hardly perform smoothly. Once more, what’s needed is lubrication. Humidity also takes a toll on wooden garage doors. To avoid rotting, warping, and all problems that are related to this material in humid climates, keep the wood panel stained.
How to prevent garage door summer problems
Since garage doors are affected by humidity, excessive heat, direct sunlight, and all things that come along with the beautiful season, you need to take steps to prevent all relevant problems. If you know the enemy, you can take steps to keep it away. And so, if we wanted to put our thought in order and understand what we must do before the summer so that we won’t suffer the consequences of summer, here’s a useful list.
• Inspect the garage door and all its parts, making sure there are no rusty parts and the hardware is all tightened.
• Remove debris and clean all parts well, with emphasis on the garage door tracks and the removal of the old lubricants.
• Once you clean, spray lubricants on the moving parts – the coils of the springs, the pins, the chain of the opener, the hinges, et cetera.
• Pay attention to the garage door springs. If they are rusty or not lubricated well, their condition will only deteriorate during the hot months and the likelihood of breakage is high.
• Insulate the garage door, if you meant to do so and haven’t done it yet. By doing so, you will save money and keep the garage cool, avoiding several problems.
• Check the condition of the weather strips to see if some sections must be replaced. The weather seals must be strong and properly installed to keep the hot weather from coming in and the conditioned air from going out.
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