As temperatures drop and winter storms start rolling in, your garage door becomes the gatekeeper between your home and the bitter cold that awaits outside. A poorly maintained garage door can let in drafts, strain your opener, and even fail when you need it most, leaving you out in the cold during the winter months.
But there are ways to help prepare your door for the change in season. In this garage door guide, we’ll walk you through the essential steps to get your door winter-ready, helping you protect your home, improve efficiency, and avoid costly repairs.
What to Do When the Cold Arrives
At Overhead Door Company, we understand doors, and we also understand the strain that Alberta winters can put on the largest opening in your house. But there are steps you can take to get your door ready, so let us guide you through it.
The door itself is what takes most of the beating from the outside world, so ensuring that the exterior is in good shape ahead of the harsh winter months is a great place to start.
Check your exterior door for flaking or peeling paint, damaged panels, water damage or warping. Once you’ve looked at the exterior, it’s time to prep the interior for the winter battle.
Keep the Area Around Your Garage Door Clear
Snow and ice can build up quickly around your garage door during an Alberta winter. Regularly clear snow, ice and other debris from around the bottom of the door and entrance to help prevent buildup from interfering with the door’s operation or causing it to freeze shut.
Inspect Your Weatherstripping
Weatherstripping might not be the first thing on your mind when you think about your garage door, but it actually plays a pretty big part in keeping the warm in and the cold out. The truth is that weatherstripping is your first line of defence against freezing winds and moisture seeping inside. But over time, it can crack, flatten or pull away from the frame, allowing cold air in and increasing heating costs.
So, what should you 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 can add extra strain to the moving parts that keep your garage door operating smoothly. Keeping accessible parts properly lubricated can help reduce friction and keep everything operating smoothly through the colder months.
We recommend using a silicone-based lubricant and applying it to the following areas:
- Hinges
- Rollers
- Springs
- Tracks (lightly—don’t grease them heavily)
Proper lubrication can help prevent friction, reduce noise, and keep your garage door opener from overworking in the chilly weather.
Test the Balance & Safety Features
A door that’s a little off-balance might sound like a non-issue. But in winter, your springs can be put under additional strain, which means a little wobble here and there could signal something a little bigger.
If your door looks uneven, struggles to open or close, or doesn’t stay in position as expected, it may be out of balance. Rather than attempting to adjust the springs yourself, call a professional to take a closer look.
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, and remember spring repairs can be extremely dangerous.
Look for Signs of Wear
Before temperatures hit arctic levels, do a quick scan of your system for anything that seems a little off or not quite right. These issues may seem minor now, but they can often worsen over the cold months.
Some key things to look out for 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 come into play. A quick inspection now can save you from an emergency service call later on.
Improve Insulation for Energy Efficiency
You’ve probably already noticed this, but if your garage is attached to your home, insulation matters. A properly insulated garage door helps keep interior temperatures stable and, more importantly, exterior temperatures outside.
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 or hard to tackle on your own. A seasonal garage door tune-up with Overhead Door Company is the easiest way to ensure every component—springs, tracks, opener, and hardware—is winter-ready.
Our certified technicians can:
- Tighten loose bolts
- Realign tracks
- Inspect the opener system
- Test safety mechanisms
- Identify potential failures before they happen
What to Do If Your Garage Door Freezes Shut
We’ve discussed how to prep your door for the elements, but the reality is that with Alberta’s unpredictable weather, even a properly prepped garage door can still freeze shut.
If this does occur, the best thing to do is call a trained professional. However, if you want to troubleshoot the issue first, don’t repeatedly use the garage door opener or try to force the door open. Doing this can put unnecessary strain on the opener and other mechanical components.
First, check along the bottom of the door to see if ice is causing it to stick. If the door remains firmly frozen in place, avoid forcing it open and contact a professional for help.
If you can’t safely get the door moving, our professional team can assist in getting your door operating again as soon as possible, despite the cold weather.
How to Safely Remove Ice from the Bottom of Your Garage Door
If your garage door is stuck due to ice buildup, start by carefully clearing away loose snow and ice from around the bottom of the door. Avoid hitting the door, tracks or weatherstripping with a hammer or other hard object, as this could damage the door or its components.
For stubborn ice, gently melting or loosening the buildup can help free the bottom seal. Avoid pouring boiling or extremely hot water directly onto the door or weatherstripping, as rapid temperature changes could damage the material. Any water used around the garage should also be cleared away before it has a chance to refreeze.
If the door still won’t move freely after the ice has been cleared, don’t force it. A professional can help determine whether ice is the only issue or another component needs attention.
Stay Ahead of Winter With Our Garage Door Guide & Professional Services
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 at Overhead Door Company to book your inspection or repair.
