The winter weather will always bring with it a few extra concerns as a homeowner, and the garage door is one of those aspects of your house that can easily be compromised during the cold temperatures. It is never fun to be stuck with your car in the garage and the door frozen shut, refusing to budge so you can get out and get where you need to go. If this is a situation you have faced in the past, you should know that there are a few simple things you can do to help get you out of a sticky situation when your garage door is frozen shut.
Clear the Exterior Area of Ice and Snow
The reason that the garage door freezes shut is simple: moisture has made its way beneath the seals at the base and frozen in place. Therefore, to get rid of the problem, you will have to first get rid of any ice and snow buildup around the exterior of the door. Grab a shovel or whatever hand tool you have available and head outside of the garage to remove as much snow and ice as you possible can. In order to get the door to come unglued, you will need to gain access to the tiny space between the base of the door and the floor of the garage from the outside.
Use Hot Water to Eliminate Ice in a Hurry
If you don't have a lot of time to wait for a heater to thaw out the ice that has accumulated beneath the door, get a large bucket of hot water and pour it quickly around the base of the garage door. This will melt the ice quickly, but you will have to be very quick about opening the garage door after the water is poured because if the temperatures are still low, you could just make the problem worse. If possible, have someone else push the garage door open as you pour the hot water.
If All Else Fails, Call a Repairman
A frozen garage door can be a huge hassle, but it can also cause a lot of damage if you are not careful about trying to get the door open. If you have a hard time getting the door open after using the hot water to thaw the ice, do not try to force it. Instead, call a repair technician who can help you eliminate the ice and possibly add new rubber seals to prevent further issues.
