Rated How To Prepare Your Garage Door for Extreme Weather in Texas
Texans are no strangers to extreme home-threatening weather. Whether it is tornadoes, storms, or flash floods, our homes must be able to handle the elements. A crucial part of your home that you might not give much thought to is your garage door. Not only does it help protect vehicles and other items you have stored, but it also helps maintain your home’s structural integrity. While you won’t be able to weatherproof your garage door completely, there are steps you can take to help protect it against the severe weather events that Texas faces.
Here, we’ll cover garage door preparation to help you handle severe weather.
Understanding Texas Weather Challenges
The Texas weather presents challenges for your garage door. Flooding can cause water to seep into your garage, hail can dent garage door panels, and high winds can blow garage doors off their tracks. Austin, Texas, is known as “Flash Flood Alley.” Stafford, Texas, a city in the Houston metropolitan area, notes on its website, “It is common for thunderstorms in this Texas region to produce hazardous straight-line winds that measure up to and greater than 75 mph.”
It is essential to select a garage door that is rated to handle the winds in your area. While no door is invincible, the right wind-rated door can help protect your garage.
Inspecting Your Garage Door Before Extreme Weather Hits
Garage door wear and tear can compromise its durability and make it more vulnerable to harsh weather. You must inspect your garage door regularly, especially before extreme weather arrives.
The following are several parts of your garage door that you should inspect.
Door Panel Cracks or Other Damage
Check your garage door panels for visible damage or cracks. Cracks can jeopardize your garage door’s structural integrity and enable cold air and moisture to enter. If you notice any damage, you’ll want to have it repaired by a reputable professional.
Rust on Metal Components
Over time, a garage door’s metal components may rust. Rust weakens these components, potentially creating a safety hazard and making them more vulnerable to storm damage. A professional should repair any rust on your garage door’s metal parts.
Cables
Your garage door’s cables can become damaged or frayed, creating a safety hazard and making it especially vulnerable during extreme weather. Given the danger of working with these parts, you must have them replaced by a licensed garage door professional if you encounter issues.
Securing Your Garage Door During Severe Weather Events
When faced with severe weather, there are steps you can take to help protect your garage door.
Lock the Garage Door With Steel Pins
Whether a garage door is automatic or manual, it will most likely be equipped with a locking system. These systems allow you to lock the garage door to the ground to help prevent it from being flung open by intense winds.
Use Plywood To Cover Garage Door Windows
Garage door windows are especially susceptible to severe weather. If garage door windows break, water can enter your garage, and flying glass can be lethal. You don’t want to deal with broken glass in a post-storm cleanup. If your garage door has windows, you’ll want to protect them against damage. You can do this by screwing plywood to your windows’ frames. Additional layers of plywood can be added for extra protection. Make sure you use screws that are long enough to secure the plywood to the window frames.
Place Sandbags
Sandbags can be a powerful tool for protecting your garage. They can help protect against advancing floodwaters and flying debris.
Maintaining Your Garage Door for Long-Term Durability
While your garage door will wear out over time, there are steps you can take to maintain it.
Please note your garage door must receive regular professional maintenance at least once a year, if not twice.
If you don’t know how to conduct the following maintenance or are unsure about anything, please contact a garage door professional.
Clean Off the Garage Door’s Tracks
The tracks on your garage door play an essential role in its functionality. They must be kept clean and free of debris.
To do this, take a damp cloth and wipe the track off. To clean particularly dirty tracks, you can try a solvent such as brake cleaner, but be sure to allow for proper ventilation.
Lubrication
Proper lubrication helps a garage door’s moving parts work efficiently and quietly.
Lubricant Types To Use
Use the correct lubricant for your garage door’s moving parts, such as high-quality silicone or a lithium spray lubricant.
Parts That Require Lubrication
- Rollers – Rollers need to be lubricated, but be sure no lubricant gets on the garage door’s tracks.
- Springs – Lightly spray your garage door’s springs with lubricant, applying a thin layer to all the parts.
- Hinges – Spray lubricant on your garage door’s hinges. Pay particular attention to the hinge’s pivot points. Don’t lubricate any plastic parts, as some lubricants can break them down over time.
Replace Weather Stripping
The weather stripping at the bottom of your garage door helps block the elements and keep bugs from entering your garage. Over time, however, the weather stripping can wear out, reducing its effectiveness. If your garage door’s weather stripping becomes ragged or torn, it must be replaced.
Emergency Measures: What To Do After Extreme Weather
After extreme weather, you should inspect your garage door for signs of damage. If damage has occurred, it can affect the safe operation of your door.
The bottom part of the garage door tends to sustain the most damage. Inspect the lifting cables to check if they are still aligned, and look to see if the rollers are still on the track. Using your garage door opener, carefully test to see if the door opens and closes while standing clear of it. DO NOT try to force the door open or closed.
If something is wrong with your garage door, contact a garage door specialist to have it fixed safely. If you are in the Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, or Houston area, the professionals at Action Garage Door can help you. Contact us for residential and commercial garage door installation, service, or repair.
