Winter Maintenance Tips for Steel Doors

With winter always on its way, it’s crucial to have a strategy for maintaining your steel doors. With every passing winter, doors can warp, loosen, rust out, freeze, or become damaged. If you don’t properly care for your doors throughout the year, you’re likely to need expensive repairs to restore the door or have it replaced entirely before its “time.” 

Proper maintenance will preserve the health of your steel doors, keep them functional for longer, and make sure they last as long as possible. Here’s everything you need to know about maintaining your steel doors during the winter.  

Check High-Maintenance Areas

There are more parts to your door than you might expect. When your door opens and closes, several components spring into action. The locking mechanism is engaged, which commands the latch, which disengages from the strike plate, and then your door pivots on its hinges to let you through. All of these areas need attention to make sure there are no defects that could affect your door’s functionality. 

Hinges

Your door’s hinges are constantly at work and need special care to ensure they don’t squeak or rust. Regular lubrication with WD-40 will keep the action smooth and silent. Lubricating your hinges this way will also help prevent the development of rust. 

After you’ve completed the lubrication step, inspect the hinge pin for wear or defects. Do this for the screws that attach your hinges to the frame. If the screws are worn or damaged, replace them. Your door should be able to swing from open to latched without issue. 

Strike Plate

The strike plate doesn’t move but interacts with your door every time it opens and closes. Because your strike plate is constantly experiencing friction from the latch, it’s essential to check the screws that keep it in place. 

Make sure the screws haven’t loosened or become damaged. If there is anything wrong with these screws, replace them as soon as you can. Without the strike plate, there is nothing for your latch to catch.

Gasket and Weatherstripping

Your gasket and weatherstripping create a seal that keeps out air from the outside. This includes the cold and any odors that could waft in from the street. When your gasket or weatherstripping is compromised, you’ll start to feel it inside. If it gets cold enough, it will force your HVAC system to work harder, and your energy bills will increase.

Check for any signs of deterioration, splitting, cracking, or deformation. If your gasket or weatherstripping has been damaged in any way, consider replacing it.

Clean and Lubricate Locks

If there is any single part of your door that is most important, it’s the lock. Before performing maintenance on your lock, it’s best to check in with the manufacturer for best practices. Otherwise, during the winter and several times throughout the year, apply lubricant aerosol spray to ensure moving parts move freely. The easiest way to do this is to spray directly into the keyway. Afterward, take a damp rag and some soap to wash the lock lightly. 

Exterior Cleaning

To clean the outside of your door, you’ll want to use a gentle cleaning agent like diluted dish soap or baby shampoo. Don’t use abrasive tools. Those can scratch your doors or wear away paint and protective coatings. Clean up any water that pools near the bottom of the door. If you find that rust is forming anywhere on your door, use sandpaper to remove it. Then coat the area in rust-resistant paint.

Tighten Loose Hardware

Any area of your door that relies on screws should get inspected regularly. Loose screws can cause a number of issues, like sagging, binding, or jamming. Simply tighten up any screws you can find, but avoid over-tightening.

Custom Steel Doors Delivered Fast

If you’re searching for high-quality commercial steel doors for your business, CDF Distributors can help. We offer custom commercial steel doors for any business. 

You can customize your ideal steel door online, order them and have them shipped directly to your location. If you have any questions about our steel doors or which customization may be best for your needs, our door experts are available to provide you with answers.

September 29, 2021
Wayne Foreman