Puget Sound winters aren't defined by deep freezes so much as relentless dampness — weeks of rain, condensation, and temperatures that hover just above freezing. That combination is tough on a garage door's seals, hardware, and panels, so a bit of prep in the fall goes a long way toward avoiding drafts, rust, and stuck mechanisms once the wet season arrives.
Seal the gaps
- Check the bottom seal (astragal) for cracks, flattening, or gaps and replace it if it's no longer making full contact with the floor.
- Inspect side and top weatherstripping for stiffness or tearing — cold makes old rubber brittle.
- Look for daylight around the frame when the door is closed; gaps let in both cold air and moisture.
Protect the hardware
- Apply fresh lubricant to rollers and hinges before the wet season — moisture displaces old, thinned-out lubricant faster than you'd expect.
- Wipe down tracks to remove any residue that could trap water against the metal.
- Touch up any surface rust on panels or hardware before it has months of damp weather to spread.
Check the opener and balance
Cold, damp air can affect the opener's sensors and the door's balance slightly. Test the auto-reverse safety feature and confirm the photo-eye sensors are clean and properly aligned before the season gets underway.
An insulated door — like our Therma Tech 3400 tier — handles a Puget Sound winter noticeably better than an older, non-insulated one, both in terms of comfort and in resisting the moisture cycles that lead to rust. If your current door is drafty, rusting, or just old, our wizard gives an exact installed price for a new insulated Hörmann door in about two minutes.