Your garage may be vulnerable to water damage when it rains in the fall, winter, or spring. By prepping your garage for winter and other wet seasons, you can protect your house, possessions, and garage door. But how do you get your garage ready for the rainy season, and why is it important?
Below, we’ll explain the impact of rain on wooden garage doors along with wooden garage door maintenance and why it’s so crucial. As you gear up for the rainy season, remember Arizona Garage Door Guru offers garage door services and repairs to keep your garage safe and functional.
Can Rain Damage Garage Doors?
Rain and garage doors don’t mix. Wooden garage doors on Arizona homes are especially vulnerable to water damage. Wood in almost any construction is prone to changing size and shape as a result of water damage, buy wooden garage doors specifically have the potential to:
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Get heavier: As wooden doors soak up rainwater and become damaged by wear, they can become 20 pounds heavier than they were when first installed. Excess weight puts strain on your garage door opener and can damage the system.
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Warp: Rain causes wooden garage doors to warp, which also impacts the function of your door. A warped door is unsafe since it will not open and close properly. You risk damage to your property and injury to yourself and others if your wooden garage door becomes warped from rain.
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Freeze: If the weather reaches freezing temperatures, rain that is collected between the rubber seals of wooden garage doors and the floor may freeze. In that situation, the door may freeze shut, meaning you can’t open your garage to get in or out until the ice melts. While freezing temperatures are rare in Arizona, you won’t want water pooling under your garage door in any situation.
If one panel warps or changes size, the others won’t line up properly, which impacts how the entire door functions. The bottom panel is most at risk because it comes in contact with the ground and water, but the other panels may be exposed to rainwater, as well. You can’t always avoid rainwater, but you can take preventative steps to maintain your wooden garage door.
Garage Door Maintenance for Your Home
Garage door maintenance involves inspecting your garage door along with components like the opener and the garage itself. Before the rainy season, there are certain steps you can take to maintain your garage through the fall, winter and spring.
When you’re preparing your garage for winter and other rainy seasons, you should:
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Check that the door seal is in-tact: This part may need to be replaced, and you may also want to add floor seals, which are raised rubber strips on the garage floor below the door. The seal on the garage door also protects the bottom panel from wear and water damage, so you’ll want a new one if you notice any peeling or other damage.
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Clean or install gutters: Rain gutters above your garage will carry away excess water to protect your door. Clean gutters will ensure no water builds up, which, if it did, would lead to possible wooden garage door maintenance.
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Check the path of water from your driveway to the garage: You want water to flow away from the garage rather than into it. The slope of your driveway will help divert water away. You can also ensure that any soil or yard area around your driveway is lower than the surface. If soil is higher than your driveway, it could cause rainwater to flow onto it, putting your garage at risk.
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Watch out for warping or other damage to your door: The last rainy season may have left your wooden garage door in disarray. If you notice any odd noises from your opener or your door appears bent, cracked or damaged in other ways, it’s time to find garage door services for your Arizona garage.
You should also check that you do not have any valuables that rainwater could ruin stored in your garage. Store important papers and other documents inside the main part of the house to avoid any loss, even with a well-maintained garage. Keep other valuables stored on shelves or the walls — any place where they aren’t on the floor since water can pool there.
Why Maintenance Is Important
The steps for preparing your garage for the rainy season above are essential, but why? You may think it’d be easier to replace your garage door if you come across any problems in the distant future, but regular maintenance is crucial for safety. More specifically, garage door maintenance will:
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Prevent water damage: Unmaintained wooden garage doors and rain can spell trouble for your garage. You may experience pooling water as rain seeps through and under your garage door. That water can damage the floor of your garage as well as anything you store inside, from tools to sports equipment.
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Prevent rust: While the panels of wooden garage doors aren’t prone to rust, hinges and other metal components are. If you do not prepare your garage for the rainy season, you risk damage to these metal components. Rusted materials could compromise the function of your garage opener or the construction of the garage door itself.
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Protect you, your family and your property: Conducting maintenance on your garage door helps keep you and your family safe from any garage door malfunctions. You also keep your property safer because a damaged door is easier for others to tamper with, allowing them entry into your garage and home.
While some problems with your garage are obvious, you may need a professional’s opinion on how to maintain your garage. At Arizona Garage Door Guru, we’re happy to provide our expertise for a range of garage door services.
