Salt Lake Valley garage doors face downslope wind, thunderstorm gusts, freezing rain and hail, and the homes range from 1960s houses to new builds. Check seals and tracks each fall, test the door every month and look it over after any big wind. Stop using a door that is crooked, heavy or has a broken spring or cable, and call a technician.
A garage door is the largest moving part of a house, and it faces the weather every day. The State of Utah lists Salt Lake, Cache, Utah, Davis and Weber counties as the counties at highest risk of loss from severe weather, and says the Wasatch Front is particularly prone to damage from large hail. A panel dented by hail can still look fine from the street, so look at it from inside too.
The Utah State Hazard Mitigation Plan describes downslope winds as winds that accelerate down a mountain and are strongest at the base of the slope. It records that in November 2011 winds above 100 mph overturned semi trucks on Interstate 15, toppled trees and cut power to 50,000 homes and businesses in northern Utah. Its storm records also list thunderstorm winds of 75 knots, about 86 mph, across Salt Lake County on August 1, 2006.
A gust pushes hard on a big flat door, so a loose track, a bent hinge or a worn roller shows up fast. After a storm, look at the door before you press the button, and pull the red release handle if anything looks wrong. Power cuts are common after wind, and the same release lets you open the door by hand.
The plan records freezing rain in January 2005 that left about half an inch of ice along the Salt Lake Valley and Ogden areas, with Sandy among the places that reported it. It lists another rare freezing rain event on January 24, 2013, when very cold air trapped in the valley by an inversion met a passing weather system.
If ice or packed snow has built up under the door, clear it before you run the opener instead of forcing the door. Clopay advises checking the seals every fall and replacing them when they turn stiff or brittle in the cold.
The Census Bureau's American Community Survey puts the median year homes were built at 1965 in Salt Lake City, 1973 in Millcreek, 1978 in Murray and 1985 in Sandy. About 65 percent of Salt Lake City homes were built before 1980, compared with 42 percent in Sandy. Homes from 2010 onward are 15.6 percent of the stock in Salt Lake City, 13.4 percent in Sandy, 10.5 percent in Murray and 9.6 percent in Millcreek.
In an older home, ask how old the door, springs and opener are, since Clopay says most springs are designed for 10,000 cycles. In a newer home the door is usually the one the builder chose, so look at the seals and the insulation, and price a new door if the garage is attached and cold.
| Season | What to look at | Why it matters here |
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Bottom and side seals, tracks, rollers, remote batteries | Gaps and stiff seals let in cold air before the first ice |
| Winter | Ice under the door, odd noises, a door that strains | Forcing a stuck door overloads the opener |
| Spring | Hinges, bolts, panel edges, door balance | Thunderstorm and wind season; loose hardware gets worse |
| Summer | Sensors, opener, hail marks from inside | Storms can dent panels and knock sensors out of line |
Do these checks from the floor. Never touch springs, cables or bottom brackets.
For prices, see garage door repair cost in Utah. Our ranges are confirmed after we see the door.
Emil Garage Doors repairs garage doors, springs, cables and openers and installs new doors in Utah, including Salt Lake City, Sandy, Murray and Millcreek. Call or send your details with a photo of the door and we book the soonest visit. Down the freeway, see garage doors in Utah County.
It can. The Utah State Hazard Mitigation Plan records winds above 100 mph in northern Utah in November 2011 and thunderstorm winds across Salt Lake County in 2006. Check tracks, hinges and rollers after a big wind.
DASMA recommends a monthly safety check by the owner and a yearly visit from a trained door systems technician.
Clear the ice from under the door and do not force it or keep running the opener. If the door still strains, stop and call a technician.
No. DASMA says springs and cables should be handled only by trained professionals. Stop using the door and call.
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Call (801) 980-3670 or send your details for the soonest visit.