Winter brings more than its fair share of messes. One of the most inconvenient is the buildup of ice and salt residue on the garage door. They can accumulate a lot of salt, given its close proximity to your driveway. Here are five steps you can take to solve this issue:
1. Clean Sooner Rather Than Later
Letting ice and salt sit on your garage door can allow stains to penetrate the surface, causing lasting damage. Make sure to remove ice and snow from in front of your garage quickly, and wipe away any noticeable salt accumulation promptly.
2. Use Caution During Your Snow Removal
One of the primary causes of ice and salt residue on garage doors comes from snow removal. Whether you’re shoveling, snow-blowing, or having your driveway plowed, you will want to watch out for snow being pushed or thrown against the garage door. This snow is going to carry plenty of dirt and ice along with it.
3. Check Your Weatherstripping
The point where your garage door touches the ground is one of the most likely spots to accumulate salt and other residue. Weatherstripping plays an important role in keeping the door itself from direct contact with the ground. If your weatherstripping is damaged or missing, it’s best to have the weatherstripping replaced.
4. Consider Installing Insulation
In any area that gets significant snow and ice, garage door insulation could be a good idea. This isn’t just about keeping your garage warm, but also avoiding a temperature gradient across the door. An uninsulated garage door will be warmer on the outside than the inside, causing continuous remelting that spreads salt residue.
5. Know When It’s Time for a New Garage Door
Has your garage door seen better days? While minor cosmetic damage may not be reason enough to replace your entire garage door, damage from salt and other dirt can build up over the years. If your garage door has taken continuous damage over that time, then a replacement could be due to improve both its look and function.
Taking the Best Care of Your Garage Door
Whether you’re looking to keep mechanical components working properly, protect surfaces, or find out more about replacement options, the skilled team at Larry Myers Garage Doors can help. We offer a full range of new garage doors and services throughout Portland and Vancouver. Contact us to learn more or schedule service today.