Make Sure Your Parking Structure Doors Are Ready for Winter’s Worst

Winter brings challenges like slippery roads, frequent snow shoveling and regular ice removal – all of which can impact the performance of overhead doors. In any parking structure, high-performance doors must be in excellent condition to keep traffic flowing smoothly while maintaining safety and security. Fortunately, today’s high-performance doors are up to the challenge. Here’s how to ensure they’re winter-ready to maintain operational efficiency all season long.

Your Pre-Winter Checklist

Inspect Motor Performance. If your door motor isn’t working right, your doors won’t open or close properly, so checking the motor is your first defense against winter weather.
Watch door motors closely through several open-close cycles to ensure they are working properly. Listen for any unusual noises and pay attention to how smoothly they operate. If you have any concerns, address these issues before the weather turns cold.

Check Gearbox Fluid Levels. Well-lubricated components are a must, especially during cold weather! Look for a plug located on the lower section of the door’s gearbox to make sure fluids are running low. Top off any fluids now to prevent challenges later.

Inspect Door Seals. High-performance doors are equipped with seals on the sides and bottom that form a tight enclosure when they’re closed. This helps prevent cold air from entering the parking structure and provides a more comfortable environment for visitors and residents. Check the condition of your door seals, look for any missing or damaged seals and replace them as needed.

Focus on Bottom Seals. Pay close attention to the bottom door seal. During winter, it is exposed to water, ice, de-icing compounds and fluids that drip off vehicles as they enter and leave the parking structure – which can compromise its integrity and ability to keep out cold air. If you notice the seal is ragged or worn, replace it to ensure your doors will shut out cold temperatures, snow and ice.

Integrate Access Control Systems. Modern high-performance doors can be paired with access control systems that provide a variety of options for securely entering commercial or government parking structures. These systems ensure that users can easily access the parking structure during inclement winter weather through the latest technology, such as Bluetooth key fobs and smartphone apps. Users don’t need to roll down their car window to gain access to the parking structure – a big plus during cold winter weather!

Verify System Functionality. Ensure that all components of your access control systems are in working order. Test Bluetooth key fobs, smartphone apps and other access methods under various weather conditions.

Review User Instructions. Make sure that all regular parking structure users are familiar with these access control systems and know how to use them efficiently during winter weather.

Upgrade to Advanced Detection Systems. Some door models include the Rytec SmartSurround® system to automatically detect vehicles or people in or near the door threshold. It features customizable visual and optional sound warnings, plus optical light curtains to detect and respond to traffic while providing a visual cue for vehicles and pedestrians in the immediate area. The AI-based technology system also features an environmental mode that recognizes beam-blocking weather elements and adjusts door closing speed accordingly.

Maintain Clear Doorways. Make sure you have all the snow-removal tools you need to keep areas in and around doorways clear of snow and ice. This will ensure your doors can function properly all winter long, no matter how cold and snowy it gets.

Make sure your parking structure is ready for the challenging weather ahead with Rytec’s high-performance doors. They provide the best of both worlds – maximum traffic flow with minimal maintenance to ensure a comfortable and secure environment in any weather conditions. Check out our line of doors for parking structures, or contact us to learn more.