Summer Heat and Garage Doors: What You Need to Know
As temperatures soar during summer, many homeowners encounter unexpected challenges with their garage doors and openers. From sluggish movement to complete system failures, the heat can wreak havoc on these essential components of your home.How Summer Heat Affects Your Garage Door
Heat causes most materials to expand, and this includes garage doors. Here are some specific ways in which high temperatures can affect your door:1. Material Expansion and Warping
Garage doors are commonly made from steel, wood, or vinyl—all of which expand when exposed to prolonged heat. This can cause the door to stick or drag along the track, become misaligned, and produce creaking or popping noises. Over time, this stress affects your garage door opener, potentially shortening its lifespan and increasing repair frequency.2. Sensor and Opener Malfunctions
As with any other electrical device, garage door components malfunction when exposed to extreme heat. Electronics can fail due to overheating, and garage doors are no exception. They may show malfunctioning signs, such as not opening or closing correctly.3. Degraded Insulation
Intense heat is also a problem for insulated garage doors. Over time, the extreme temperature will degrade the insulating materials. This hampers the capability of your garage door insulation, making it harder to maintain cool temperatures.Protecting Your Garage Door from Summer Heat
Now you know how excessive heat can affect garage doors. Here's what you can do to keep it running for longer and prevent any unwanted garage door damage:1. Regular Maintenance
Scheduled inspections for garage door maintenance always go a long way. You will see if there are signs of warping, paint wear, and mechanical issues. Regular maintenance will also allow you to lubricate moving parts to prevent further strain from friction.2. Ensure Proper Ventilation
Garages can become hot and stuffy during warm weather. Installing garage door vents and roof ventilators can improve ventilation and airflow.3. Test Safety Features
Inspecting and testing your garage door safety features is a good practice, not just during the summer. To test your garage door sensors, obstruct them while the door is closing. The door should reverse and reopen. Clean and align the sensors to allow the doors to function properly.4. Insulate Your Garage Door
An insulated garage door has always kept garages cool during the summer. With insulation, you can regulate the temperature inside the garage and prevent heat from seeping in through the door.