How to Open a Frozen Garage Door

When a cold snap brings the temperatures below freezing overnight, rain and wind can be the worst enemy of your garage door. If the water gathers under the rubber seal at the bottom of your garage door and freezes, the door could get stuck, preventing you from getting your car out of the garage in the morning. Since the inside of your garage, even if it's uninsulated, is usually warmer than the outside and protected from wind, you probably don't have too much ice to get rid of to open your frozen garage door.

1

Pull the emergency release cord to allow you to manually open your door. This usually has a red plastic handle and hangs in the center of the door assembly near the door. Trying to open the door with the automatic garage door opener can burn out the motor of the device or strip its gears when it can't release the door from the ice.

2

Pull up on the garage door to see if the leverage you provide is strong enough to break the ice seal.

3

Go outside and scrape ice from between the bottom of the door and the concrete using an ice scraper. This easily breaks up thin ice and can unstick your door.

4

Aim a heat gun at the bottom of the garage door, moving along the entire edge. It might take a little while to slowly heat the bottom of the garage door and melt the ice, but it melts it safely without damaging the door.

Things You Will Need

• Ice scraper
• Heat gun
• Hot water

Tips

• If you're in a hurry to get the garage door unfrozen, pour hot water along the edge of the garage door. This works quickly to unfreeze the door, but it adds additional liquid that can freeze, creating a hazardous and slippery area.
• If it's safe to do so, leave your garage door open enough so that the sunlight melts ice and evaporates remaining water under the garage door before closing it again.
• Spray the tracks of your garage door unit with a silicone spray to help the door move smoother, which might make it easier to pull open when the door is frozen shut.

source: http://homeguides.sfgate.com/open-frozen-garage-door-25406.html

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