816-875-6015
816-875-6015
Is your garage door ready for another Missouri winter?
If you’ve ever hit your opener on a freezing morning and nothing happened, you know how cold weather can bring hidden issues to the surface. Metal contracts, seals freeze, and motors strain, often turning minor wear into a major breakdown overnight.
Before temperatures drop in Lee’s Summit, it pays to understand what causes winter garage door problems and how to prevent them.
Cold weather causes metal parts to contract, stiffening rollers, hinges, and tracks. This can slow your door and strain your opener.
When temperatures fall, every metal part of your garage door system tightens up. Moisture can freeze inside rollers or tracks, making movement jerky and loud. Even lubricants that worked fine in summer may thicken or lose their coating ability when the air turns cold.
That resistance forces the opener to work harder, which shortens its lifespan. If your motor hesitates, stalls, or sounds like it’s struggling, it’s likely pushing against cold-stiffened parts or old lubricant. Addressing this early with proper cleaning and lubrication can prevent a mid-winter failure.
Worn or cracked seals allow water in, then freezing temperatures glue your garage door to the concrete.
Weather stripping keeps cold air, water, and debris out of your garage, but over time rubber seals crack or lose flexibility. When melting snow or rain seeps underneath, it can freeze overnight and hold your door shut.
If your opener hums but the door won’t lift, it’s likely frozen in place. Gaps of sunlight or air at the base of your door signal that seals need replacement.
Tip: Royal Door provides durable weather seals made for Midwest winters that resist cracking and freezing through repeated thaw cycles.
Cold air makes metal rigid, and worn springs can snap under pressure during freezing weather.
Your garage door’s springs carry most of the lifting weight. In winter, metal coils lose flexibility, and weak points can fracture under sudden stress.
Signs of a broken spring include:
Spring failures are most common in mid-winter when temperatures drop fast. Royal Door keeps both standard and high-cycle springs in stock to handle replacements quickly, even in cold conditions.
Cold and condensation can misalign or disable your sensors and opener.
Garage door safety sensors are sensitive to moisture and temperature changes. When brackets contract or condensation fogs the lenses, they may blink or stop working entirely. Misaligned sensors can prevent your door from closing or cause it to reverse unexpectedly.
Older openers can also struggle in cold temperatures. Electronics slow down, batteries weaken, and remotes become less responsive. If your system hesitates or fails intermittently, it may just need recalibration or sensor cleaning, not a full replacement.
Prevent costly winter breakdowns with early maintenance and inspection.
By late September, Lee’s Summit nights start dipping into the 40s, leaving a short window before real cold sets in. Preventive garage door repair now keeps your system ready for the season.
Here’s what to check:
Fixing minor issues early costs less and avoids emergency repairs when temperatures drop.
Kansas City winters are tough on garage doors. Each open-and-close cycle stresses parts that are already fighting the cold. What starts as slow movement or minor noise can quickly become a full breakdown.
Knowing what to watch for, frozen seals, stiff rollers, sluggish openers, helps you stay ahead of the problem. A smooth-running garage door in winter isn’t luck; it’s preparation.
If your garage door sticks, grinds, or struggles to open, don’t wait for the next freeze. Schedule a professional inspection today.
Why does my garage door move slower in cold weather?
Cold air makes metal parts contract and thickens lubricants, which slows the system. Cleaning and re-lubricating tracks and rollers helps restore smooth movement.
Can freezing weather cause my garage door to stick?
Yes. Water can freeze under the bottom seal, bonding it to the ground. Replacing worn seals prevents ice buildup and keeps your door moving.
When should I schedule garage door maintenance before winter?
Fall is the best time for garage door repair in Lee’s Summit—before freezing temperatures cause parts to stiffen or break.
