21 Jun How to maintain your garage door during Summer
With Summer on the way, and brighter, warmer weather ahead, it’s the perfect time to get spring cleaning around your home. Although de-cluttering and organising your garage might be a job on the list, it’s important not to forget the garage door! And just a few simple summer maintenance jobs can make such a big difference in the condition and longevity of your garage door for many summers to come!
Here’s a handy guide on how to maintain your garage door in the summer
How to prepare your garage door for the summer
Lubricating hardware
A perfect job to do in summer is to lubricate all of the hardware to ensure smooth running of your garage door. We recommend using a garage door specific lubricant and don’t use grease! While lubricating the hardware, don;t forget to look our for any corrosion or rust which may need sorting out.
Wash and Repaint the Garage Door
Give your garage door a little TLC after the tough winter weather. Snow, sleet rain and other elemental impacts may have left your garage door not looking its best. Washing your garage door is very quick and easy, simply fill a bucket with warm water and some mild soap or household detergent, and give your garage door a sponge off. For tougher stains or salt stains, try a little bit of diluted bleach and water. Not only will washing your garage door remove all of the dirt, grease and grime that has built up, it will massively improve the appearance.
You can also enhance the overall appearance of your garage door by giving it a fresh coat of paint. Potentially consider a primer with protective qualities and certain garage door materials can benefit from a layer of wax too.
Inspect for wear and tear
A super important job to maintain the smooth and safe operation of your garage door!
Open and close the garage door in full, checking it is working as it should and listening out for any strange noises. Make sure the garage door opens and closes fully for safety and security reasons. If the car is automatic or SMART, check the remote and/or sensors are working correctly too.
Visually inspect the door and mechanisms for any potential problems. Check all the door panels are in place, and if there are windows, check for any cracks or chips. Have any bolts or hinges come loose, or is the track misaligned? If you spot any issues that need attention, call a professional engineer to come out and repair your garage door.
Get your garage door serviced
If it’s coming up to your garage door’s annual service, get it scheduled! Your yearly inspection from an approved engineer will make sure your garage door is safe, functioning optimally and helps keep your warranty!
How to stop sunlight damaging the garage door
Sunlight can cause your garage door’s paint to fade and degrade, especially dependant on what direction your garage door faces. Some solutions to help are:
- Apply a UV resistant finish, which will deflect the UV rays. It will help reduce cracking, facing and peeling
- Choose a reflective exterior paint colour, such as light colours
- Cover any windows with a protective film which will help keep the frames firm in place and reduce cracks in the glass surface.
Direct sunlight can also affect your garage door sensors, by overriding the lower infrared light that the sensors rely on to work, or by excessive heat causing the components to warp and need repair. It might be worth considering having an engineer come and move the sensors, or build a shade box or shade for them.
How to keep your garage cool and comfortable in the heat
This is particularly important if you spend a lot of time in your garage during the summer or you use it to store items.
In the warmer weather, it might be a good idea to leave your garage door open every so often to encourage ventilation, let in a breeze, and release any trapped heat.
Although it may seem counter intuitive, improving the insulation in and around your garage will also help. There are some affordable options to help insulate your garage better, and you might want to consider investing in an insulated garage door, such as a sectional garage door, which will block outside air from penetrating into the garage, effectively keeping the hot air out in the summer, and cold air out in the winter.
Further advice on maintaining your garage door during the summer
If you have any more questions about how to maintain your garage door in the summer, please don’t hesitate to contact our friendly team who will be able to offer expert advice.
We’ve also written another handy article on how to care for your garage door in Winter, so you’ll feel prepared to make the most of your garage door all year round!