What To Do If Your Garage Door Freezes This Winter

Dealing with a frozen garage door is not the best way to start the day, especially when your alarm didn’t go off and you are already running late for work. Unfortunately, frozen garage doors are a reality for many living in Cedar Lake, Indiana, where temperatures routinely drop well below freezing in the winter months. If your door freezes, here is what you need to do:

Pull Your Emergency Release Cord for Manual Opening

If your garage door will not open automatically when you push on your garage door opener, then pull the red emergency release cord that is (typically) located in the center of your garage door. Do not continually try to open the garage door automatically, as doing so will burn out the battery and even strip the garage door’s gears.

Once you have pulled the emergency release cord, try manually opening the garage door – sometimes, your own force is enough to lift it when frozen. If your leverage is not enough, then it’s time to remove ice manually.

Remove Ice Manually

If you cannot break the ice seal on your garage door by pulling upon the garage, then you may have to remove ice manually from the garage door’s bottom where it meets the ground. Use an ice scraper to break up ice surrounding the door. However, be careful to not damage your door when doing this. If you have a heat gun, you can use this to slowly melt the ice surrounding the garage door. If you have outdoor electrical outlets, you can also accomplish this using a hairdryer.

How to Prevent a Garage Door From Freezing

The best way to remedy a frozen garage door is to prevent it from freezing in the first place. Basic garage door repair and maintenance can be essential before cold weather hits. Best practices for preventing a garage door from freezing include:

• Replacing the weather stripping;
• Removing snow and ice as it accumulates;
• Making sure your garage door is properly insulated to maintain a comfortable garage temperature; and
• Using a lubricant with waterproof properties.

Meet with a Garage Door Professional Today

If you need to winter-proof your garage door or unstick a frozen garage door, look no further than the experienced team at Affordable Garage Door, Inc. With 30 years of experience in the Cedar Lake area, we know what we’re up against when it comes to servicing garage doors in cold weather. For a free quote, call us today at 219-696-4279.