Houston weather can be unpredictable. What can be predictable are two things, it will be very hot and humid in the summer and that the weather can damage parts of your home. Your garage door is no exception. Let’s look at how Houston weather can cause common weather caused garage door problems.
Common Weather Caused Garage Door Problems
One thing you know about if you live in the Houston area is the humidity. At least 80% of the time the air in Houston is moist and humid. This can lead to rusting of your garage door springs and metal rollersOMMON . During the late fall time, when it starts to turn cold, that rusting can lead to your garage door spring breaking from the metal shrinking from the cold. The best prevention is to make sure you keep your garage door’s moving parts lubricated. Use a lithium-based grease or garage door lube instead of WD-40. Lubricate your springs, hinges and garage door rollers.
Humidity can also cause an issue with the garage door motor itself. If your garage door motor is chain operated, that chain can also rust due to the moisture in the air. Make sure you keep the chain lubricated as well. The hot Houston summer can also affect the electronics in your garage door opener causing a need for an adjustment to the sensitivity or limits of travel for your garage door opener.
Another thing the wet and humidity can affect is the space between the garage door frame and the garage door itself, especially if you have a wooden garage door. Both the frame and or the garage can swell. If the door and the frame swell, the clearance between the two decreases and can cause the door to rub against the frame or even become stuck in place.
If you have a west facing house where you get a lot of sun, it is best to have an insulated garage door. If you have an uninsulated door, you are going to turn your garage into an oversized oven. The sun also can have another effect on your garage, tricking your garage door sensors. When the sun’s rays shine directly on your garage at certain times during the day, it can fool your garage door’s photo eyes into thinking there is an obstruction in the way, preventing the door from closing. The best way to counter this is either to simply wait it out or construct a small cover using paper or cardboard that deflects the sun’s light away from the photo eyes.
If you have a wooden garage door, sun, humidity, and rain can damage the garage door itself. The damage can compromise the vital structural integrity of the door. You’re going to want to water seal your wooden garage door. We recommend re-sealing your wooden garage door every one-two years.
Another common weather occurrence in the Houston area is lightning. Combine lighting with electrical brownouts (especially in the summertime) can play havoc on your garage door motor. We recommend installing a surge protector in your garage door ceiling or wherever you have your motor hooked up to.
One of the biggest causes of garage door issues by weather, besides caused by water is wind. Houston is known to get tropical systems, and along with the water comes wind. High winds can blow your garage door completely off, or have high impact damage from limbs a debri hitting the garage door. One of the best ways to prevent this type of damage is get what is known as wind-rated garage doors. Wind rated ( or also known as hurricane garage doors) are rated to take winds and impacts up to and above 125mph. You can learn more in our post, What is a Wind Rated Garage Door.
Houston weather can damage your garage door and it’s opening parts. With simple year-round maintenance though, you can prevent much of the damage from ever occurring. Spectrum Overhead Door LLC offers a garage door tune-up, to take care of the little things before they become costly damages and repairs.
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