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While the Carolinas enjoy a mild, humid subtropical climate, mountainous areas are no stranger to below-zero temperatures. In frigid weather, you may experience challenges like finding your garage door iced shut.
Like vehicles and other machinery, your garage door has various metal components that may freeze, making it challenging to open after several hours of dropping temperatures. So, what do you do if you find your garage door frozen shut?
Why a Garage Door May Be Frozen Shut
Several culprits can contribute to a frozen, stuck garage door.
- Contracting metal parts: If temperatures drop below freezing, metal parts like the spring will likely contract, making your garage door hard to open. Remember, a broken garage door spring is different from a seized-up one.
- Frozen grease: Since grease hardens in cold weather, it may impede other moving parts. If you’re sure hardened grease is the problem, a silicone-based lubricant can get the parts moving again. However, it’s wise to let a professional inspect the door if you need guidance.
- Damaged weather seal: When the garage door is closed, water can collect underneath the weatherstripping, freezing it and causing it to stick to the floor. Forcing the door open will cause the seal to peel off over time, allowing water to seep into the internal parts and condense.
How Do You Unfreeze Your Garage Door?
As a homeowner, you trust that your well-maintained garage door will perform even in winter until you wake up to a frozen door. That doesn’t necessarily mean something is wrong with the door’s components.
Here are steps to troubleshoot and open a frozen garage door.
- Inspect the door: It’s not advisable to force your door open using the garage door opener, as that could damage the device or other parts of the door. Once you determine that the door is stuck, look for signs of broken parts. Try opening it manually if you don’t see damage. If you suspect something is broken, don’t initiate manual mode. Instead, call a technician for professional assistance.
- Confirm it’s unlocked: Verify on your wall console that the door is unlocked and check for signs of obstruction. Another member of your household might have engaged a manual lock, so verify that none is in place.
- Shift to manual mode: If everything looks normal, disengage the garage door from the electric opener to allow manual operation. Locate the emergency release cord and pull it down and away from the door to release it — it’s usually a red cord hanging down from the trolley. You’ll hear a click that indicates the disconnection. Try lifting the door and closing it again to loosen the ice.
- Melt the ice buildup: If you still struggle to open the door, ice buildup could have frozen it shut. Remove the icy barrier by shoveling it away from the outside and breaking accumulated ice underneath the door. Alternatively, use a heat gun or hairdryer to melt the icy sections. Spreading salt along the bottom of the door will also melt the ice, but you’ll need to clean it up afterward to prevent corrosion.
How to Prevent a Garage Door From Freezing Shut in the Future
There’s a good chance your garage door won’t open in cold weather for various reasons, like the bottom rubber seal sticking to the ground, effectively sealing the door shut. Here are some preventive measures to keep your garage door from freezing shut.
Prepare the Door for Winter
When winterizing your home, don’t overlook your garage. Properly winterizing your garage door will maintain the moving parts and prevent snow and moisture from seeping through the bottom. Since snow and moisture often freeze around the bottom seal, sticking the door to the ground, you want to verify the weatherstripping is in good condition. If it’s flat or has cracks, it won’t serve you well and may contribute to your garage door freezing shut. Call a technician to reinstall it correctly.
Apply a Silicone-Based Lubricant
Grease lubricants harden when the weather is below freezing, which could make your garage door difficult to open. Use a silicone-based lubricant instead — these products have a lower freezing threshold that will keep the metal parts moving throughout the season. Remember to apply the lubricant on the bottom seal to prevent the door from getting stuck.
With the garage door open, scrape ice buildup away from the area where the door meets the floor. It’s best to use hot water to melt the ice — as a bonus, it also washes off salt and other deicers. Use a wet rag to clean the bottom seal and leave it to dry, or wipe it with a dry cloth, then apply the silicone-based lubricant along the surface of the seal.
Shovel the Snow and Spread Salt
A clean driveway prevents snow buildup, which can quickly ice your garage door shut. Shoveling snow off your driveway and sprinkling salt underneath the door is a quick fix you can repeat throughout the season to keep your door from freezing shut. Salt melts ice by lowering water’s freezing point, dissolving into separate sodium and chloride ions that break the bonds between water molecules.
Use a Garage Heater
A small electric or gas heater is one of the quickest frozen garage door solutions. It raises the temperature inside your garage high enough to keep water from freezing. If the forecast calls for below-zero temperatures, you can run the heater overnight or for a few hours before using the door.
Contact RCS Garage Doors for a Solution This Winter
Finding your garage door frozen shut is a familiar inconvenience in winter. Some issues, like damaged hardware, require expert attention. Homeowners in the Carolinas can contact RCS Garage Doors for reliable inspection and routine garage door services.
With more than 30 years of expertise in the garage door industry, we know what it takes to keep your door functioning correctly, even in winter. Our emergency services can get you back on track if your garage door won’t open or close. Reach out to us to solve your problems with frozen garage doors in North Carolina or South Carolina!