Understanding how the winter weather in the St. Charles County, Greater St. Louis, and Metro East areas can cause your garage door to become noisy is not the only issue your garage door faces during the winter months. Cold weather does not only affect the metal of the door, but also the parts designed to help keep your garage sealed against the elements. Just as it is important to keep the moving part of the garage door properly lubricated, other parts of the door must be properly maintained as well.
Garage Door Bottom Weather Stripping
Rubber weather-stripping on the bottom of the garage door is designed to keep cold air out and warm air in during the winter. During the winter, water can accumulate around the base of the door and cause the weather-stripping to freeze to the ground. This can cause damage to the weather-stripping when the door is raised by ripping it off of the door, or can also prevent the door from opening at all. Snow and ice build up around the base of the door can also prevent the door from closing completely. The simplest solution to this is to ensure all snow and water is swept away from the bottom of the door before it has a chance to freeze. You can also apply some non-stick cooking spray to the rubber weather-stripping to help prevent it from sticking to the concrete.
Rubber weather-strips can also become harden and crack as they age. A hard or cracked weather-strip will not provide the proper seal around the garage door to prevent air leakage, which can lead to a spike in your heating cost and may allow water to enter into your garage. Rubber weather-stripping should be replaced every few years in order to maintain a proper seal on your garage door.
Checking the condition of your rubber weather-stripping is another component of our Preventive Maintenance service, designed to help extend the life of your garage door. To learn more about our Preventive Maintenance service, click here or call us any time to speak with one of our experienced technicians.
