Preparing Your Garage Door for Summer: Essential Tips
2025-01-10 7 min read Nelson Garage Doors Team
Get Your Garage Door Ready for New Hampshire Summers
As spring transitions to summer here in Nelson and throughout the Monadnock region, your garage door faces a new set of challenges. Rising temperatures, increased humidity, and more frequent use can all take a toll on your door's components. At Nelson Garage Doors, we've compiled our top recommendations for keeping your garage door operating smoothly all summer long.
Understanding Summer's Impact on Your Garage Door
Many homeowners don't realize how significantly weather affects their garage doors. Summer brings several specific challenges:
Heat expansion causes metal components to expand, which can affect alignment and operation. This is particularly noticeable with steel and aluminum doors.
Humidity can cause wooden doors to swell, leading to sticking or binding. It can also promote rust on metal components if protective coatings are compromised.
Increased UV exposure can fade paint and finishes, and may degrade rubber weatherstripping over time.
More frequent use during active summer months means more cycles on springs, cables, and openers, accelerating normal wear.
Your Summer Preparation Checklist
Follow these steps to ensure your garage door is ready for the warm months ahead:
#### 1. Complete a Visual Inspection
Start by examining your door from both inside and outside. Look for:
- Cracks, dents, or warping in door panels - Rust spots on metal components - Gaps or damage in weatherstripping - Frayed or worn cables - Loose or missing hardware
Any of these issues should be addressed before they worsen in summer conditions.
#### 2. Test the Balance and Alignment
Disconnect your garage door opener by pulling the emergency release cord. Manually lift the door to about waist height and release it. A properly balanced door should stay in place, moving only slightly. If it falls or rises significantly, your springs need adjustment.
While the opener is disconnected, observe the door's movement. It should travel smoothly without binding or scraping. Any deviation may indicate track alignment issues that could worsen with heat expansion.
#### 3. Lubricate Moving Parts
Proper lubrication is one of the most important—and most overlooked—maintenance tasks. Apply a silicone-based lubricant to:
- Torsion springs (coat the entire spring) - Hinges (at all pivot points) - Rollers (if they have bearings; skip plastic rollers) - Tracks (a light coating only) - Lock mechanisms
Important: Don't use WD-40 for this purpose. While it's a great penetrating oil, it's not a long-lasting lubricant and can actually attract dirt that causes more friction over time.
#### 4. Inspect and Replace Weatherstripping
The weatherstripping around your garage door serves multiple purposes: it keeps out rain, pests, and debris, while also helping maintain temperature and reducing energy costs.
Check the bottom seal (sometimes called an astragal) for cracks, gaps, or hardening. Summer heat can accelerate deterioration of rubber seals. Also examine the weatherstripping around the door frame and between panels.
Replacing weatherstripping is an inexpensive way to improve your garage's comfort and energy efficiency. New Hampshire summers may be brief, but a well-sealed garage stays noticeably cooler.
#### 5. Clean and Protect the Door Surface
Give your door a thorough cleaning with mild soap and water. For wooden doors, check for peeling paint or finish that might allow moisture penetration. For metal doors, look for chips or scratches in the paint that could lead to rust.
Consider applying a fresh coat of paint or stain to wooden doors every few years. For metal doors, touch-up paint can prevent small scratches from becoming rust spots.
#### 6. Test Safety Features
Your garage door's safety features are critical, and testing them takes only a minute:
Photo-eye sensors: Place an object (like a cardboard box) in the door's path and attempt to close it. The door should reverse immediately upon detecting the obstruction.
Auto-reverse function: While the door is closing, hold a 2x4 flat on the ground in the door's path. The door should reverse upon contact. If it doesn't, adjust the sensitivity settings on your opener or call for service.
Emergency release: Ensure the red emergency release cord is accessible and functioning. This is your manual override if power fails.
Summer-Specific Maintenance Tips
Beyond the standard preparation, consider these summer-specific recommendations:
Adjust opener sensitivity: Temperature changes can affect how your opener responds. You may need to fine-tune the force settings as temperatures rise.
Check ventilation: If your garage lacks windows or vents, consider adding ventilation to reduce heat buildup, which can stress components and make the space uncomfortable.
Monitor for pests: Summer brings increased insect and rodent activity. Check for gaps that might allow entry and consider adding pest deterrents if needed.
Service your opener motor: If your opener is more than 10 years old, consider having it serviced. Motors that work in extreme heat may overheat, and older units may lack modern safety features.
When to Call a Professional
While many maintenance tasks are DIY-friendly, some situations require professional attention:
- Springs that appear worn, stretched, or damaged - Cables showing fraying or rust - Door that won't stay balanced when disconnected - Unusual sounds during operation - Visible damage to tracks or mounting hardware - Opener that overheats or fails to operate consistently
At Nelson Garage Doors, we offer comprehensive summer maintenance packages that cover all these checks and more. Our skilled technicians can identify potential problems before they become expensive repairs.
Schedule Your Summer Tune-Up
Don't wait until something breaks to give your garage door attention. A professional tune-up in late spring ensures trouble-free operation all summer—and often extends the life of expensive components like springs and openers.
Contact Nelson Garage Doors at (978) 481-2162 to schedule your summer maintenance appointment. We serve Nelson, Keene, Peterborough, Dublin, Jaffrey, and all surrounding communities in New Hampshire's Monadnock region.
With over 21 years of local experience and more than 3,800 satisfied customers, we're the trusted choice for garage door service in southern New Hampshire.