Everything You Need to Know About Adding Siding to Your Garage Door

Adding Siding to Your Garage Door

If your garage door needs an update, you can add wood or faux wood siding to your garage door to create a wood overlay garage door. With this technique, you can create a door to complete your home’s sophisticated look.

As you consider how to make your garage door match your home exterior, you can choose a wood design for your garage door to complement your wooden front door. Whether you add siding or buy a custom wood door, you should hire a professional installer to replace or redesign your garage door.

Jump to Key Section

• Can You Add Siding to a Garage Door?
• Pros and Cons of Adding Siding to Your Garage Door
• Benefits of Hiring a Professional Installer to Add Siding to Your Garage Door
• Should You Add Siding to Your Garage Door or Purchase a Custom Garage Door?

Can You Add Siding to a Garage Door?

By adding wood siding to a garage door, you can create a wood overlay garage door. Overlaying your garage door with wood can give your garage door more depth to complement and match the rest of your home. Wood siding will adhere to your vinyl garage door with a special type of wood glue.

Pros and Cons of Adding Siding to Your Garage Door

Adding siding to your garage door can give your home a classic look while keeping up with the modern trend. While you can add a wood finish or stain your garage door to give it a wooden appearance, adding siding to your garage door comes with unique benefits:

• Siding offers extra protection: Adding that extra layer could provide even more insulation and protection from the heat and outside damage.
• You can easily customize your garage door to keep up with trends: By adding siding to your garage door, you can create your garage door without having to replace your old one. As the trends change, you can remove your garage door siding and replace it with new siding.
• You can complement the exterior of your home: Home designers suggest coordinating your garage door color and material with your front door. You can complete the sophisticated theme of your home by adding wood or faux wood to your garage door.

There are also drawbacks to adding siding to your garage door:

• Wood can be too bulky: Adding wood or faux wood to your existing garage door could weigh it down, making it difficult to open and close. If your garage door is not designed to handle the extra weight, your siding could damage it.
• Garage doors made of different materials are harder to clean: Wood garage doors are easy to maintain when you have the right equipment and information. If you place wood over a steel garage door, you’ll have to take care of both the wood and the steel pieces.
• Adding siding to your garage door can be complicated: In many cases, purchasing a custom made door instead of adding siding to an existing door will be easier. If you decide to add siding to your garage door, it’s best that you contact a professional garage door installer to handle the task.

Benefits of Hiring a Professional Installer to Add Siding to Your Garage Door

You can install siding on your garage door yourself to create a wood overlay, or you can hire a professional. A professional garage door installer has experience and resources to help you remodel your garage door. Hiring a professional installer to add siding to your garage door may be beneficial to you because:

• A professional installer has experience: If you’ve done home renovation projects on your own in the past, you might be able to create your own siding for your custom door. However, a DIY home project can be frustrating if you are new to exterior design, so you may want to hire a professional who knows what to do. A professional garage door installer typically has years of experience installing and repairing garage doors.
• A professional installer has resources: To create your custom door on your own, you’ll need to buy all the supplies. You also likely need friends or family to help you take on this task of enhancing your home’s curb appeal. A professional will have all the resources and power needed to add siding to your garage door.
• A professional installer has time: While adding siding to your garage door should only take a couple of days, you may have to sacrifice work or a relaxing weekend to put up your siding.
• A professional installer can give you more for your money: A DIY project may save you money if you are experienced. But you will likely pay more money to repair any mistakes you make along the way. A professional installer may cost money, but you know that the professional will do the job right.

As you choose a professional installer to remodel your garage door, you should hire a reputable professional who has years of experience and is highly recommended by previous clients.

Should You Add Siding to Your Garage Door or Purchase a Custom Garage Door?

Instead of adding siding to your existing door, you can purchase a custom garage door. Custom sided garage doors will set your house apart from the rest of the houses on your block. Here are some of the benefits of custom garage doors:

• Extra insulation: In places as cold as Spokane and Northern Idaho, adding insulation to your garage door can also help you lower the cost of your energy bill each month.
• Increased return on investment: Your custom garage door can help enhance your home’s curb appeal and increase your home’s resale value.
• You are in control: When you choose your custom garage door, you can choose the material, finish and design of your door that will complement your home’s design.

If it’s time to renovate your home, consider installing a modern and contemporary garage door. If you would rather have a wood garage door, you can install a door with a wood finish. To prolong the life of your wood garage door, clean it with soapy water and add a stain or finish to it to protect it from extreme weather conditions.

Continental Door Can Help You Create Your Custom Wood Overlay Garage Door

Continental Door has been providing the Spokane and Northern Idaho area with garage door installation and repair services for more than 15 years. We have a wide selection of Clopay^® modern garage doors and wooden garage doors to give your home a sophisticated appearance. We can also help you create a custom garage door with or without siding that will complement your home’s exterior.

We are here to answer any questions you may have about customizing your garage door. You can fill out a contact form online or call us at 509.921.2260.

4 Things to Know About Installing a Drain in Your Garage

Installing a Garage Drain

Whatever you use your garage for, there is a good chance that you would benefit from having a garage drain. This is especially true for garages that are used for vehicle storage. The garage door is frequently opened and closed, even on rainy and snowy days — and water is likely to run off of cars, bikes, raincoats and boots to pool on the garage floor.

A drain is a great solution for this issue, but here are four things you should know before installing a drain in your garage:

1. You need to look into local garage floor drain codes. There are different codes and regulations for residential and commercial floor drain installation. Find out what the rules are in your area before you do anything else.
2. A garage drain can lower health risks. Pools of water and other excess moisture left in your garage can lead to the development of mold and other potential health risks, including the chance of breeding mosquitoes. 
3. You can’t pour just anything into a drain. There are specific regulations about what can be poured into a drain in different areas. For example, you should never pour any kind of chemical down your garage drain.
4. A garage drain needs to be cleaned regularly. Like any other drain, a garage floor drain needs regular cleaning and maintenance to stay in good working order. Just because it’s out of sight does not mean your garage drain should be out of mind.

What Is a Garage Drain?

Like any other drain, a garage drain is meant to control the flow of water. The key to a successful garage drain is the floor — it needs to be pitched or sloped so that water will run down the drain naturally.

What Is a French Drain System?

A French drain is one garage floor drain option. In a French drain system, a trench lined with gravel and a perforated pipe is used to redirect water away from an area.

Does a Garage Need a Drain?

For residential garages, the answer depends on where your home is located. Many cities do not allow the installation of garage drains. Instead, garage floors may be sloped so that any water can run out of the garage on its own or be swept and squeegeed out. If that water isn’t dealt with, either by a drain or by you, it could make the floor slippery and potentially cause accidents. 

Benefits of Having a Garage Drain

• A drain will prevent water from pooling in your garage and save you the labor of sweeping it out.
• You can easily wash your car inside your garage.
• A drain can prevent ice from building up in the winter.

How to Install a Drain in Your Residential Garage

In general, it is a good idea to leave complicated plumbing to experts. However, there are a few steps you should take when you consider installing a drain: 

• Check local ordinances before doing any installations.
• Decide whether you want to connect to the sewer system or route the water to a storm drain. 
• Make sure the floor is pitched or sloped so that water will run into the drain naturally. If the current slope is insufficient, be prepared to pour new concrete.

Contact Continental Door for Garage Door Services

Adding a drain to your garage is a great way to improve its safety and convenience, but you need to be sure you’re in compliance with city codes before calling a contractor. If so, there are several garage floor drain options you can explore to increase the utility of your space.

Planning to renovate your entire garage? Top it off with a new insulated door from Continental Door. Home and business owners in Spokane, Coeur D’Alene and the surrounding areas can count on Continental Door for high-quality, professional garage door services and expertise. Get in touch today for a free estimate or service request.

Common Problems With Garages Underneath a House

Garages Underneath Houses

There are many factors to consider when you are building or buying a home. The garage is one important feature that many homeowners tend to overlook. 

To save space, some homes feature a basement garage rather than a typical ground-level style. But what are the advantages and disadvantages of houses with basement garages?

What Is a Basement Garage?

A basement garage or tuck under garage is exactly what it sounds like: a garage that is fully or partially under the upper level of a house. Basement garages are common in houses situated on hills as well as in areas where plots of land are generally smaller and space needs to be used efficiently.

Garage Under the House: 3 Problems You’ll Run Into

Before you commit to plans for a garage under a house, you should consider some of the disadvantages: 

1. Hearing the Garage Door Open and Close

When a basement garage door is opened and closed, the sound can usually be heard in the room above the garage. If the room is a dining room or kitchen, this might not bother you — but a house with a bedroom above the garage wouldn’t be ideal, especially if someone in the house frequently has to leave early in the morning or late at night.

2. Carrying Groceries Up the Stairs

For many homeowners, carrying groceries up the stairs is the most significant inconvenience of a house with a garage in the basement. While some appreciate the extra exercise, it can be a bit of a hassle if you need to make frequent trips in and out of the house.

3. The Room Above the Garage May Be Colder in the Winter

If the garage is not insulated correctly, the upper room in your home may be noticeably colder in autumn and winter. This can result in higher utility bills as well. An insulated garage door can help to alleviate this issue.

4. Resale Value May Be Lower

For these reasons, the resale value of a house with a tuck under garage may not be as high as it would be otherwise. Even if you don’t mind the idea of a basement garage, you may want to consider how it will affect your return on investment if you eventually sell the home.

2 Benefits of Basement Garages

However, a basement garage is not without its advantages. Here are a few benefits of a basement or tuck under garage:

1. They’re Aesthetically Pleasing

A ground-level garage isn’t ideal for some styles of homes. A tuck under garage is less likely to pull focus from the architecture of the rest of your home.

2. They Don’t Take Up Much Square Footage

If your home is on a property without much square footage to spare, a basement garage is a great solution for storage that doesn’t take up too much space.

Upgrade Your Home With Continental Door

If you have plans to put a finished garage under your house, contact Continental Door for high-quality, professional garage door services and expertise. We offer premium Clopay® insulated garage doors and advanced opening systems that can help mitigate the noise and heating and cooling issues of a tuck under garage design. Our products are also designed to complement any house for a boost in curb appeal and market value. 

Give us a call at 509.921.2260 or visit us in Spokane Valley to learn more. Or, if you’re ready to take the next step, request a free estimate or schedule service today!

3 Signs You Need to Replace Your Dock Leveler

Signs it’s Time to Replace Your Loading Dock Leveler

When your business operates out of a loading dock, you know just how important it is to perform regular loading dock maintenance. Doing so is an investment in safety for your most valuable asset — your personnel.

But how do you know when it is time for dock leveler repair or replacement? 

What Is a Dock Leveler Used For? 

Levelers are used in buildings with truck-level doors. In terms of safety, a dock leveler is one of the most essential parts of a loading dock. 

A dock leveler is a height-adjustable platform generally made from a large metal plate. The dock leveler bridges the gap between the loading dock and the truck. It can be raised or lowered depending on the height of the truck’s bed.

While a dock leveler is a sturdy piece of equipment, it can be worn down over time when subject to heavy forklift traffic. Dock leveler repair can help, but replacement is necessary from time to time.

Reasons for Dock Leveler Replacement 

The following signs indicate that it may be time to replace a dock leveler:

1. The Components are Warped

The weight and stress of constant forklift traffic can warp elements of a dock leveler over time. If the dock leveler is visibly warped, repairs will probably not be effective — it is most likely time for a replacement.

2. You Want to Upgrade the Door or Bay

There may be a number of reasons to upgrade the door or bay of a loading dock. Maybe the components are damaged or outdated, resulting in a decrease in efficiency. If this is the case, the dock leveler is one of the parts of a loading dock that should probably be replaced.

3. The Leveler Is Outdated, Unsafe or Fails to Meet Leveler Requirements

A dock leveler can be outdated or unsafe for numerous reasons. Even with regular loading dock maintenance and dock leveler repair, this device can wear down over time like any other equipment. An unsafe dock leveler can result in damage to forklifts and cargo as well as serious injuries to personnel. Replacement of an unsafe dock leveler protects your business’s most valuable assets.

When to Upgrade a Dock Leveler

The reasons for dock leveler repair and replacement come down to two main factors: safety and efficiency. Ideally, you’ll upgrade the dock leveler before any safety concerns arise.

Monitoring efficiency can be a useful way to determine when it is time for an upgrade. When a dock leveler is outdated or unsafe, operators require more hands-on time with equipment to ensure safety. Over time, this results in more downtime and a decrease in production.

If you notice that production is gradually getting lower, it may be time to upgrade the dock leveler.

How Often Should a Dock Leveler Be Serviced? 

The type of leveler used in your loading dock can impact the amount of service it requires. Some designs just aren’t built to last as long as others.

Mechanical levelers generally last five to seven years, while hydraulic levelers might last 10 years.

Yearly service is the best way to ensure that a dock leveler is in proper working order.

Contact Continental Door Today

The leveler is one of the most essential parts of a loading dock, so dock leveler repairs and replacements are important investments in the future of your business’s operations. If your leveler is warped, worn or part of an outdated bay, trust Continental Door to perform the expert repair or replacement you need to keep your business moving.

Contact Continental Door for high-quality and professional services and expertise. We are proud to serve homeowners and businesses in the Greater Spokane area. Request an estimate or service today.

What Should You Be Looking for in a Commercial Garage Door?

What Should You Be Looking for in a Commercial Garage Door?

When it comes to residential garage doors, you probably have a pretty good idea of what you should be looking for. For commercial garage doors, however, it can be a different story. There are some areas where it’s okay to cut corners on a residential door that aren’t necessarily good ideas to skimp on when it comes to commercial doors, and vice versa. What are some of the things you should be looking for when shopping for a commercial garage door? Here are four of them.

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Material

You want your commercial garage door to be made of metal, usually steel or aluminum. Natural wood can be great for a residential garage door, as it can create a very aesthetically pleasing look and feel. With a commercial door, though, you want to be a little more practical. Wood doors are vulnerable to cracking and splintering, not to mention rot if exposed to the elements or too much moisture. They require much more maintenance and care, which can be worth it in a residential environment but not something you want to be worrying about when it comes to a commercial enterprise.

Insulation

When it comes to residential doors, you’ll often have a choice between an insulated and a non-insulated door. You may feel that for your home, the energy savings is not worth the extra expense of insulation. While this is debatable, you should never skimp on insulation for your commercial door. You have valuable inventory to protect from the elements. Additionally, insulation will also make the door quieter and often more durable thanks to the added insulation material inside the door.

Heavy-Duty Torsion Springs

Your torsion springs are designed with a limited life. Most residential springs are built to last about 10,000 cycles, or openings and closings before they wear down or break. That’s usually fine for the average family, but your commercial garage door may be opening and closing a lot more. If that’s the case, you should look for torsion springs that can withstand up to 25,000 – 50,000 cycles. In some cases, you may have as much as hundreds of thousands of cycles, in which you may benefit from a high-speed, high-cycle door.

Windows

This one will vary from business to business, but you will want to think about whether or not you want people to be able to see into your facility and how much natural light you want to let in. If you want a lot of light and visibility, consider a full-view commercial door. Windows will also allow you to see your customers as they arrive at your facility.

For more information on commercial door features and help finding the right commercial door for your business in the greater Spokane, WA or Northern Idaho areas, contact Continental Door Co. today.

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Keeping Your Employees Safe from Your Commercial Garage Door

Keeping Your Employees Safe from Your Commercial Garage Door

Your commercial garage door is designed with safety features. The fact is, however, that in some commercial environments, many employees may be walking or driving back and forth under your garage door every day.

Whether that garage door remains open most of the time or it is repeatedly going up and down throughout the day, it is important to take the proper safety precautions to protect your employees from an unforeseen accident. What is the best way to keep your employees safe when it comes to your commercial garage door?

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Make Sure You Have a Modern Door

The newer your commercial garage door is, the more likely it is to have state-of-the-art safety features. Have you checked to see if your current door has safety devices in place? If not, you should consider adding the safety mechanisms or replacing with an updated version of your door. 

Make Sure Your Door Is Installed and Repaired by Professionals

When you are bringing in a new door, don’t try to install it with your own team. Let experienced professionals handle the job. It keeps your employees safe from injury during installation and makes it more likely the door will be installed correctly — meaning a dangerous accident is less likely. Similarly, don’t cut corners when it comes to repair. Make sure your repair is performed by experts with years of experience who know what they are doing and ensure that they are using OEM (original equipment manufacturer) parts. 

Schedule Regular Maintenance

If one of your springs is about to give out, there’s a good chance there will be no way for you to know about it until it snaps, which can put your employees in danger. Annual or semi-annual maintenance by professionals can help you to identify a potential problem and fix it before it becomes a hazard.

Training

Make sure any employees who will come in contact with the garage door or pass underneath it have a full understanding of how it works and how to operate it. An hour of training could save multiple lives.

Call for Repairs Immediately

If your garage door is not working properly, do not wait until the end of the day or the end of the week to deal with it. Call for repairs right away and find a workaround until the professionals come to fix it.

If you need commercial garage door repair, installation or maintenance in the Spokane, WA area or Northern Idaho, call Continental Door Company. We have the experienced garage door professionals who know how to make sure your door is as safe as possible. Contact us to request service or to receive a quote on a new commercial garage door now.

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What Parts of My Garage Door Need Replacing?

What Parts of My Garage Door Need Replacing?

We hope your garage door will last you a long, long time. But even if it lasts for many years, you’re probably going to have to replace some parts along the way. That’s just the way machines are designed. They have moving parts that wear out, and your garage door system is no different.

What Parts Can You Expect to Repair Over the Life of Your Door?

Here are four of the components you will likely need to replace at some point during your garage door’s lifespan:

Springs

This one is almost guaranteed. Your torsion springs or extension springs are the coiled bits of metal that actually do most of the work when you are opening or closing the door. Most standard springs are designed to last about 10,000 cycles, or openings and closings. For most people, this means about eight years before they are totally shot, but depending on how often you use your door and how much stress you put on it, it could be a bit sooner or later than this.

Hinges

If you enjoy the convenience of a modern door that rolls up into the roof of the garage rather than swinging straight up and then going back, you can thank your hinges. But rolling the door up and down on those hinges takes its toll, and you’ll probably have to swap them out sooner or later.

Garage Door Openers

If you buy a new, high-quality garage door opener, it will probably last you a long time. But garage door openers are pretty intricate machines, and there are a lot of things that can go wrong, especially if you have an older model. If your door is not opening or closing properly, particularly if you are able to open and close it without much difficulty manually, there’s a good chance it’s time to have your garage door opener looked at. You may also want to replace your garage door opener to take advantage of the security and convenience features that are standard with new opener models.

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The Whole Door

If you’ve had your garage door for 10 years or more, it may be time to swap out the whole system. Frequent repairs, especially ones that are adding up to greater than the cost of a new door, are a definite sign that it’s time to start fresh. Your door may simply look or feel old, worn out or out of style. A new garage door can really improve the curb appeal of your home and is one of the best home improvements with respect to return on investment, so if it’s time, don’t be afraid to get a new one in there.

Whether you need a new door, replacement parts or a garage door opener upgrade, if you’re in the Spokane, WA or Northern Idaho region, just contact Continental Door Company, and we’ll take care of you.

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How Do I Maintain a Commercial Garage Door?

How Do I Maintain a Commercial Garage Door?

If you run a business that involves any kind of machines, you know that anything with moving parts requires regular maintenance if it is going to continue to work properly. Commercial garage doors are no exception. If a commercial garage door fails before its time, there’s a great chance that poor maintenance was somehow involved.

If you schedule annual maintenance for your commercial garage door, that’s a great first step. But that may not be enough to make sure you minimize the chance of malfunction or a costly repair and to maximize the life of your commercial garage door. So, what are some of the ways you can make sure your commercial garage door is getting the care it needs?

Check the Insulation and Weather Seals

While damage to the weather seals or insulation won’t necessarily shorten the life of your commercial garage door, it will definitely reduce its effectiveness. Any damage to the weather seals or insulation means your door is not properly insulated and protected against the elements. This means your inventory or whatever is on the other side of your door is vulnerable to water damage or temperature damage, not to mention that you are probably losing money on energy bills due to the extra heating or cooling required. It’s a simple matter to do a once over every couple of weeks to make sure the weather seals and insulation are still firmly in place.

Pay Attention to the Door’s Behavior

Is the door opening and closing smoothly? Is it making more noise than it used to? Train yourself and your workers to listen to what your commercial garage door is telling you. If your door appears to be struggling to do its job in any way, there’s a good chance that a broken spring, worn-out roller, frayed cable or the like is the culprit. Your door may be continuing to work, but the added stress could add up to a big repair soon.

Lubricate Everything You Can

Machines break down because parts wear out, and most of the time, parts wear out because of friction. That’s why it’s so important to regularly lubricate all the moving parts you can reach on a regular basis. It doesn’t take long, and it can save you a lot of problems with your door.

Check All Safety Devices Regularly

Commercial doors can be very big, heavy and dangerous. Most maintenance should be done by a professional to ensure everything is completed properly and safely. A professional garage door service technician can also set you up on a preventative maintenance schedule to catch any problems before they become nightmares. 

If you’re in the Spokane, WA or Northern Idaho areas and you spot an issue that may need addressing, or if it’s time for your annual maintenance checkup, just contact the experts at Continental Door Company, and we’ll be right over to help.

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Should You Add a Second Garage or Shop to Your Home?

Should You Add a Second Garage or Shop to Your Home?

Years ago, the idea of having a home with two garages seemed far fetched. But times change, and with it so do your needs. If you find yourself looking for your next home improvement project, a new garage just might be it. Here are a few interesting reasons for a second garage to consider.

Attached Garage

Is your current garage attached to your home? If it’s not, you might have a safety concern. In some neighborhoods, parking your car and then having to leave the garage to enter your home is an invitation to potential malicious actors. Especially if you have multiple family members who drive or are out late at night, you may want to invest in an attached garage that allows everyone to drive right into the garage and walk straight into the house.

Extra Cars

Perhaps when you bought your home, you had only one car, or maybe two. Now, years down the road, perhaps you have a child or two getting their first car, or maybe you added an SUV to the mix. Whatever the reason, you may suddenly be finding yourself with more cars than you have garage space. Any car left out on the street could be a tempting target for thieves, and exposure to the elements could damage your car or cause it to lose its value faster than it should. If a second garage can protect all your cars, it can be a very worthwhile investment.

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Extra Space

Maybe you only have two cars, but you still don’t have enough room in the garage for both of them. You wouldn’t be the first family to suddenly discover that there are more tools, boxes, yard equipment and other items than cars. Adding a second garage can expand the amount of storage space you are already enjoying while making sure your cars are protected as well.

Additional Home Value

A new garage door could add considerable value to your home. After all, you are adding more house, which could be a big selling point if you ever decide it’s time to move on.

A New Workspace

Many people like to use their garage as a workspace. It’s a large area shielded from both the house and the neighborhood where you can work on projects in peace without disturbing others. If your current garage serves this function, why not add a garage so you don’t have to share your workspace with family members driving their cars in and out all the time? Additional space could also double as a “man cave” or a place for a home gym if desired!

Additional Shop

If you have an RV, motorcycle, snowmobile, tractors or other machinery, you most likely want to keep this equipment in a secure place to protect your investment. 

Do you need another garage? For advice on starting with a second garage or help finding the perfect garage door for your new garage in Northern Idaho or the greater Spokane, WA area contact Continental Door Co. now.

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How to Dewinterize Your Garage Door and Prepare It for Spring

How to Dewinterize Your Garage Door & Prepare It for Spring

What does it mean to dewinterize your door, and how do you do it? When we talk about dewinterizing a garage door, we simply mean preparing your garage door for the warmer weather.

During the winter months, you probably have not been inspired to do maintenance on your garage door. Freezing temperatures and ice are not an inviting climate to be outside working with the machinery of your garage door system. Even the idea of calling for professional maintenance in the winter may not be appealing, as you may be concerned about costs and the inconvenience of having your garage door open while it’s being worked on, letting all the cold air into your home. When spring comes, however, it is another matter entirely.

How Changing Seasons Can Impact Garage Doors

Extreme temperatures can be hard on a garage door. Parts that were already on the worn side can become even more distressed and require replacement more quickly. Ice and moisture may build up in and around the door, causing various functionality and potential repair issues. General debris can also collect around the door and need to be removed for the door to function properly. A new season may provide your earliest opportunity to safely and comfortably deal with a lot of these issues.

How to Prepare a Garage Door for Spring and Summer – Tips for Dewinterizing Your Garage Door

Dewinterizing your door entails assessing the condition of your door as soon as it gets warm enough, going through a simple maintenance checklist to make sure you will enjoy optimal garage door use all throughout the spring and summer months. Dewinterization maintenance steps can include the following:

• Clean your door: While this is not a fun task, it is the easiest way to get rid of some of the potential problems from winter that could plague your door. Wash the door, interior side and exterior side. Sweep up any debris under the door and make sure no dust is on the photo eye sensors. Check the tracks and the rollers that the system uses to guide the door up and down in your garage and make sure there is no debris there that could block the door as it goes up or down.

• Preserve and protect your door: If you have a wooden door, check for rot and consider adding another coat of paint and/or water sealant to seal out moisture and prevent future rotting. If you have a steel door, you’ll also want to check for rust.

• Check the weatherstripping: Make sure the weatherstripping is intact and replace any damaged weatherstripping. This will be important to seal in cool air on hot summer days when your air conditioner is running.

• Lubricate the door: Spring maintenance is a great time to make sure to fully lubricate your garage door. Your garage door system is a mechanical system with moving parts, and like any system with moving parts, it needs proper lubrication. Be sure to add lubrication to all moving parts and areas of friction from rollers and tracks to hinges. Use specially formulated garage door lubricant, not oil, as oil may collect dust and debris that could be bad for your door.

• Check bolts, springs and cables: The end of a long winter is also a good opportunity to check for worn-out parts. Your old springs and cables may have hung in for the winter, but they could be on their last legs. If you discover a part that appears to be worn out, contact Continental Door for immediate replacement. Trying to operate a garage door with worn-out parts could be dangerous and put stress on the rest of your door. If you make an effort to keep your springs and hinges rust-free, they will last longer.

The Importance of Preventative Maintenance and Annual Tune-Ups

Professional scheduled spring maintenance for garage doors is one easy way to make sure your garage door is ready for the season. When you call Continental Door for maintenance, we will perform all the steps above and more, making sure your door is in the best possible condition to get you through to the upcoming seasons.

While you should perform basic maintenance on your door between visits to maximize your door’s life, scheduling an annual tune-up or semi-annual tune up with the professionals at Continental Door can help ensure you get the most out of your door. We can clean and lubricate your door safely and accurately and will immediately notice if any of your parts are worn out enough to require replacement.

This can help you in two very important ways. One, it will increase the life of your door by putting less strain on your system, and two, it can help you prevent more costly repairs. If your garage door springs snap suddenly while you’re using your garage door, it could cause a sudden drop in the heavy door, which could damage the door or anyone or anything underneath it. If we see a problem with one of your garage door springs, we can replace both springs with durable new ones, so you can be confident in the safety and performance of your door.

While a quality garage door should last you a long time, depending upon how often you use it, taking the time to help your door recover from the effects of the elements can really be worth the time and effort.

Contact Continental Door Company for Reliable Garage Door Maintenance and Service in Greater Spokane, WA, and Northern Idaho

We would love to tell you more about our spring maintenance and annual tune-up plans, as well as how we can help you save money by taking care of your door before expensive repairs are necessary. We perform garage door maintenance for homes and businesses in the greater Spokane area and northern Idaho on a regular basis and are happy to put some of our expert technicians to work for you.

For a free estimate on garage door maintenance or to request service, contact us online or call us at 509-921-2260 today.

Request a Tune-Up for Your Garage Door