With the summer heat upon us many folks are stocking up on sunscreen and visors and thinking of ways to spend time outdoors enjoying the nice weather – without the pain of a sunburn. But, did you know that your garage door also suffers in the hot summer sun? Here are some ways that your garage door is affected by the summer weather:

Your garage door is a sophisticated system and can be considered an important ‘appliance’ in your home. The motor that works to open and close the door on your command runs on electricity and is sensitive to extreme weather conditions. Extreme heat can be especially damaging to the sensors and wiring inside of the garage door motor. Also, your garage door remote openers contain a sensitive circuit board that could be permanently damaged if it gets too hot. Just the way that you shouldn’t have your cellphone sitting in the direct sunlight – you should never leave your garage door opener sitting in the direct sunlight either.

The material that your garage door is made from can be sensitive to intense direct sunlight. This is especially true if your garage door is made from painted wood. The intense sunlight can fade the paint, leaving your garage door looking dull and damaged – this dramatically reduces the curb appeal of your home as your garage door is a large part of your home’s exterior. If your garage door is made from metal, the direct sunlight can cause the garage door to heat up and be very hot to the touch. This could be dangerous if you have young children who might touch the door or, pets that rub up against it. This also causes the garage itself to heat up dramatically, so storing things like pictures and books in the garage might not be a good thing during the summer months.

While there is little that you can do about the weather, knowing how the summer sun can affect your garage door gives you some information so that you can stay on top of things. Periodically, check your garage door for signs that the heat or sum might be causing problems. And, call you professional garage door installer for recommendations.