What to do with a frozen garage door or shutter

As the temperature drops and things begin to freeze, we give you a few helpful hints on how to deal with a frozen garage door or roller shutter.

FIRST THINGS FIRST…  If your garage door or roller shutter does not open the first time you push the button, STOP! Continuing to try and open it only increases the risk of the door breaking. 

Instead follow these simple steps

1 – Make sure the door hasn’t been locked, check any manual locks and also any control locks.

2 – A quick inspection to see if anything has broken, or become lodged, that may be causing the door/shutter to not open.

3 – Disconnect the door from the power, then attempt to open using the manual crank handle.  Again do this gently, so this will hopefully free the slats.

4 – If this doesn’t work, check the floor to see if the bottom slat or rubber seal is frozen.

5 – For any sign of ice build-up or if the door/shutter still won’t open, the best solution is either a hairdryer or a fan heater.    Pop them on the lowest setting and be patient (we know, it’s not our strength either!, but trust us, it’s better than having to pay for a new door!)

PREVENTION

To prevent your garage door or shutter from becoming frozen follow these simple steps:

1 – Always keep the area in front of your garage door clear of ice and snow. The bottom seal of your garage door can stick to the ice which will prevent the door from opening. Any attempt to force the door open will run the risk of tearing the bottom seal right off the door, causing you to break the top section and burn out your motor (an expensive mistake!)

2 – Applying silicone spray to the rubber bottom seal will help prevent it from sticking to the snow or ice.

3 – During bad weather the door or shutter should be opened and closed throughout the day. Ideally using the motor as this will keep all parts active, but you can of course operate it manually. This will prevent your door/shutter sticking to the ice and free up any motorised components

4 – Year round just ensure your garage door or shutter is thoroughly lubricated throughout, this will help keep it in good condition for the winter.