You might be prepared for winter. You have snow tires on the cars; you’ve caulked around the windows to prevent cold air from sneaking in; and you’ve added weather stripping to all your exterior doors. So you might be toasty warm inside your heated space, but have you thought about what’s going on in your garage? Whether you use your garage as a gym or workshop or simply keep it as a space to store your car, you’ll save money and protect your valuable possessions by winterizing your garage before the first freeze.
Pad the Cave
Insulating your garage can help keep it from becoming a frozen tundra and provide a buffer of warmer air next to your home. This means the air inside your home will stay warmer without as much effort, so you don’t have to blast the heat as much throughout the winter. If there’s a draft under your garage door, replace your weather stripping. Scrape off the existing weather stripping and make sure the surface is clean and dry. Align the new weather stripping with the garage door down. The door should flatten the rubber flap slightly when it’s closed.
If the temperature inside the garage drops below freezing, it can freeze any water left in equipment hoses and affect your power tools. Insulate the walls of your garage as well as the garage door to keep the temperature more stable. You can buy kits designed for insulating garage doors or replace the door with an insulated design.
Open Sesame
Having a garage might not be very beneficial to you if the door won’t open. Cold weather can affect your garage door by changing the sensitivity of the closing force. To adjust this, first make sure there is no space beneath the door when it’s closed. Adjust the force by accessing the door closer using a ladder. There should be adjustment screws that let you change the position of the closed door. These screws can be adjusted with a screwdriver until the door opens and closes properly. Click here to learn more about adjusting the door close force.
You know how you don’t really want to move all winter long? Your garage door can feel the same way when the cold weather makes the lubricant thick and sticky. From the inside of your garage, apply an oil-based lubricant like motor oil to the rollers, tracks, and springs. Open and close the door a few times to get everything moving again. You don’t want your door to stick on that day that you’re really in a rush to leave the house.
Keeping your garage warm takes some time. If you aren’t sure what you’re doing, hire a professional to take a look at your door. Contact the Overhead Door Company of Portland to ensure that your garage is properly winterized before it gets cold outside.
