Everyone knows that the hot Arizona weather can be a hassle to deal with when you are trying to keep your house in good condition. What most people don’t realize is that it can do a lot of damage to your garage door. Let’s take a deeper look at how Arizona weather affects your garage door and what you can do about it.
Sunlight Can Burn the Finish Off
The sun shines down over Arizona all the time. While it’s nice and sunny much of the year, that sunlight is double-edged. It can take the finish right off of your garage door if you are not careful.
Any garage that faces the afternoon sun has a risk of superheating during the day. This is especially true if you park your car in front of your garage. The sunlight reflecting off of your windshield is like holding a magnifying glass up to the sun. The intense light can burn your garage door.
Make sure that you don’t put anything in front of your garage that intensifies light. If your car is parked there, try covering it when not in use during the day. Also, make sure you add more paint to your garage door if it has a painted finish. A thicker layer of paint can help protect against the extra sunlight.
Extreme Heat Can Make Your Door Stuck
When your garage door heats up too much, it can expand. If it is already a very tight fit in its tracks, your door may get stuck when it is too hot outside. That just means it expanded to the sides too much, and the lift cannot pull the door hard enough to get it unstuck.
To fix this, take steps to keep your garage door cooler. Try adding reflective paint or an additional coat of paint to reduce the heat from the sun and keep it insulated. Once your door cools down, it should unstick itself. Otherwise, you may need to lube the tracks more or call Parker Garage Doors to come and take a look at them.
The Wind Can Damage the Finish
Arizona wind can be full of sand, dirt, and debris thanks to much of the landscape existing in desert-like conditions. Your garage door can take a pounding because of it.
To prevent wind damage from flying debris, try changing your landscaping so that there are fewer deposits of things the wind can blow at your garage. Also, make sure that you repair any damage to the finish of your garage door often. If it is painted, for example, make sure that the paint does not wear all the way through. Otherwise, the bare metal will be exposed and can rust or develop other problems.
If the wind itself is becoming a problem, check the tracks, hinges, and rollers for your garage door. These are often overlooked when trying to prevent wind damage, but they are often damaged by too much stress. Heavy winds can push the door around and damage these pieces. If you start to experience problems, check there first to see if something on the inside is bent out of shape. If you can’t fix it yourself, a garage door repair tech can.
Temperature Changes Can Crack Seals
Finally, always check the seals around the garage door for damage. Temperature changes can cause them to expand and contract. As they age, seals will crack when they change temperature. Fortunately, most seals are easy to replace so that your garage stays tightly sealed and keeps unwanted things, like bugs and dust, out. It is also crucial that you ensure your garage door has insulation to keep interior temperatures cooler and help absorb heat.
Ask a Repair Technician for Help
Always be proactive about making sure that your garage is in good condition. If you have any doubts, call a repair technician to fix it before it becomes a more serious problem. Call Parker Garage Doors have a look at your garage door and make any of the necessary repairs.
