How To Open A Garage Door That’s Frozen Shut

The cold season is sometimes tough on our garage doors. Sure, they are made of the best materials and have very high thermal resistance levels, but all doors can be affected by frigid weather. The metal components on the operating system tend to contract, leaving the motor working much harder than usual.

What can be even harder on the motor is a frozen shut garage door. Give your garage door the maintenance it deserves. In this blog post, we came up with a few prevention tips so you don’t have to deal with such problems. We also provided you with a few steps to follow if your garage door does freeze to the icy ground during winter.

Prevention Tips

• Try to open and close your garage door at least once a day. This will prevent the door from sticking to the ground and will allow any metal components stuck together because of the frost to separate.
• Shovel the fallen snow in front of your garage as soon as possible to avoid any build-up and creation of ice.
• To guarantee you don’t run into any big problems during winter, make sure you give your garage door a proper maintenance throughout the year. Here at Doors and Things, we can make sure your garage door is functioning properly and is ready for the cold season!
• Applying a silicone spray at the bottom of your door can prevent it from sticking to the cold ground.

What to do if your garage door is frozen shut:

Never try to use your electric door opener to force your garage door open if it’s stuck in the ice. You could damage the motor and need to replace your opener.

Step 1: Unlock the garage door. Don’t forget the side lock on the inside of the door and the lock button found on the keypad.

Step 2: Look around the garage and inspect the door system to make sure no metal components are broken or stuck together because of the frost.

Step 3: Shut off or unplug your garage door opener, then manually release the door. You will need to pull on the emergency release cord, which has a red handle and is located on your garage door system. Once released, carefully lift your door to see if you can free it from the ice.

To get rid of the ice:

• You can chip away the ice with a small knife, a hammer, or a screwdriver. Be careful not to tear into the bottom seal and be sure to wear safety glasses.
• You can use your hairdryer to melt the ice faster. This technique is effective but can also be time consuming. Be careful not to hold the hairdryer in the same position for too long and to not set it at the highest heat setting.
• Carefully pour hot or boiling water onto the ice. Have someone help you, as the water will quickly refreeze if it’s really cold outside.