Businesses often experience booms in the winter as a result of the holidays. And, just like homes, they feel the effects of incoming cold weather. Commercial garage doors, and rolling and overhead doors, can experience problems and damage in the winter. It’s important to take steps to protect these doors and keep the business secure, and incident-free.
What Winter Weather Does
There is a variety of potential problems associated with winter damage to commercial doors. Some can cause wear and issues over the long term, while others pose a more immediate threat. Water is a threat that can be either. In winter, water may freeze, and thus expand. If it is a significant amount of water, this can force cracks in the doors’ seals and distort them. They may not close or open properly, then, or insulate well from the temperatures. Ice may cause sticking. When these doors stick, it can take some time and effort to open them. In some cases, there is a risk of damaging the doors further when trying to open them.
Preventing Winter-Related Damage
Doing a pre-winter check of all doors and their mechanisms is the best way to start. Make sure everything is in working order and nothing needs to be replaced. Sometimes, strong weather changes will hasten the time-related wear and tear of older mechanics.
Make sure that all moving parts are well-oiled if necessary. But, they should be oiled with lubrication that will not be affected by the drop in temperatures. They need protection from rust as a result of the moisture and from the formation of ice.
Ventilation, seals, and insulation should all be checked thoroughly. If the doors have any openings, they must be closed and well-sealed. This will help insulate the interior from chilly exterior temperatures. If there is weatherstripping or another method of sealing, check for tears and cracks, and missing pieces.
Dealing with Winter-Related Problems
Should you struggle with your doors despite your preventative measures, the begin by determining the source of the problem. If the business, warehouse, dock, etc. is too cold and you think it is an insulation problem, find the source of the heat loss. Inspect the seals around the doors and windows. Check for leaks and spaces. Usually, you can feel where the cold air in coming in, and the warm escaping. You can also monitor temperatures changes and determine the source.
Depending upon the source of the issue, there are usually some solutions that you can apply yourself. New seals can be purchased and installed. However, if the damage from ice is too extensive-such as a distorted door-you may need to call a professional garage door repair company.
