As temperatures drop and winter storms start rolling in, your garage door becomes the gatekeeper between your home and the bitter cold. A poorly maintained garage door can let in drafts, strain your opener, and even fail when you need it most.
In this garage door guide, we’ll walk you through the essential steps to prepare your garage door for the winter, helping you protect your home, improve efficiency, and avoid costly repairs.
Your Garage Door Guide
Inspect Your Weatherstripping
Weatherstripping is your first line of defence against freezing winds and moisture. Over time, it can crack, flatten, or pull away from the frame, allowing cold air in and increasing heating costs.
What to do:
- Check for gaps, brittle rubber, or light coming through the edges.
- Replace damaged weatherstripping to maintain a tight seal.
- Don’t forget the bottom seal—this area wears down quickly in snowy climates.
Lubricate Moving Parts
Cold weather thickens lubricant and puts extra strain on hinges, rollers, bearings, and springs. A simple lubrication routine can dramatically extend your door’s life and improve performance.
In this garage door guide, we recommend using a silicone-based lubricant and applying it to:
- Hinges
- Rollers
- Springs
- Tracks (lightly—don’t grease them heavily)
Proper lubrication prevents friction, reduces noise, and keeps your garage door opener from overworking.
Test the Balance & Safety Features
In winter, your springs are more prone to failure because the metal contracts in cold temperatures. Ensuring your door is properly balanced prevents stress on your opener and reduces the risk of emergency failures.
To check the balance:
- Disconnect the opener
- Manually lift the door halfway
- If it slides or falls, your springs may need adjustment
To test safety sensors:
- Make sure sensors are aligned and clean
- Ensure the auto-reverse function responds correctly
If anything seems off, call a professional for an assessment and repairs—spring repairs can be extremely dangerous.
Look for Signs of Wear
Before temperatures hit arctic levels, scan your system for any warning signs that may worsen over the cold months. These include:
- Cracked panels
- Frayed cables
- Bent tracks
- Rusty hardware
- Vibration or grinding noises
Even minor damage can turn into costly repairs once ice, snow, and cold temperatures set in. A quick inspection now can save you from an emergency service call later on.
Improve Insulation for Energy Efficiency
If your garage is attached to your home, insulation matters. A properly insulated garage door helps keep interior temperatures stable and lowers heating bills.
To improve your energy efficiency:
- Upgrade to an insulated steel or polyurethane-filled door
- Check the R-value of your current door
- Seal gaps around the frame with caulking or foam insulation
Better insulation also protects stored items, vehicles, and your garage door components from extreme cold.
Schedule a Professional Winter Tune-Up
Even with great DIY maintenance, some issues are easy to miss. A seasonal garage door tune-up is the easiest way to ensure every component—springs, tracks, opener, and hardware—is winter-ready.
A certified technician can:
- Tighten loose bolts
- Realign tracks
- Inspect the opener system
- Test safety mechanisms
- Identify potential failures before they happen
Stay Ahead of Winter With Our Garage Door Guide & Professional Services from Overhead Door Company of Calgary™, Lethbridge™, and Cranbrook™
Winter is hard on garage doors, but you don’t have to wait for something to break before calling in the pros. If you’ve gone through our garage door guide but aren’t totally confident your door is running its best or completely winter-ready, contact us to book your inspection or repair.
Call Overhead Door Company of Calgary™, Lethbridge™, and Cranbrook™ today!
