The Oregon Health Authority says to keep windows and doors closed when smoke is heavy, keep air filters clean and use a HEPA air cleaner. A garage door with torn seals or gaps leaves an opening between the outside and an attached house. Check the seals, test the door and make sure you can open it if the power fails.
What Oregon health officials advise
The Oregon Health Authority says to keep windows and doors closed unless it is extremely hot outside. If you run an air conditioner, keep the fresh air intake closed and the filter clean so outdoor smoke does not get in. A HEPA filter or an electrostatic precipitator can help keep indoor air clean, and a portable air cleaner should match the room size the maker lists.
An earlier news release from the authority adds simple home steps: make sure windows and doors seal well, check and change the filters in heating, cooling and air purification systems, and consider a portable HEPA air cleaner.
Where a garage door fits in
None of these pages talk about garage doors by name. The reasoning is ours: a garage door is a very large door, and if the garage is attached, a gap at the bottom or sides is one more opening between outdoor smoke and the house. A torn bottom seal or a worn side seal is worth fixing before smoke season, as part of the same advice to make doors seal well.
A garage door is not an airtight barrier, and a repair will not replace an air cleaner or a closed interior door. Treat it as one step.
A before-smoke-season check
- Close the door and look for daylight along the bottom. Clopay's inspection list flags tears or gaps in the bottom and perimeter seals.
- Check the side and top seals and the stop molding for cracks and gaps.
- Replace a flat or torn seal. See bottom seal replacement.
- Close the door between the garage and the house, and check its weatherstripping.
- Run the balance test: disconnect the opener, lift the door halfway and let go. A balanced door stays in place.
Keep your exit working
DASMA says that in areas affected by wildfires, an opener with a battery backup is a convenient way to get the door open in a power outage. If the opener fails, pull the red handle, which hangs about six feet above the floor, and lift the door by hand. Test the battery from time to time.
DASMA also says not to drive a vehicle through a garage door to leave, because the stored tension in the counterbalance system is released and can put the vehicle and its occupants at risk. Everyone in the house should know how to open the door by hand. If it is hard to lift, call a technician and do not adjust the spring yourself. See opener repair.
Quick answers
Should I keep my garage door closed during wildfire smoke?
Yes, unless you need to leave. The Oregon Health Authority says to keep windows and doors closed when smoke is heavy.
Can a garage door seal help keep smoke out?
A sound seal closes gaps at the bottom and sides, which helps an attached garage. It does not replace an air cleaner or a closed door to the house.
Can I open my garage door in a power outage during a fire?
Yes. Pull the red release handle and lift the door by hand. DASMA also suggests a battery backup opener where wildfires or outages are a concern.
How do I clean ash off my garage door?
Use mild detergent, warm water and a soft cloth or brush, then rinse with clean water. Clopay says not to use a pressure washer or scouring powder.
During a smoke event
Keep the garage door closed unless you need to leave. The health authority says not to burn candles, use fireplaces or run gas stoves when smoke is high, and not to vacuum, which stirs up particles already inside. Use the clean air steps in its guidance and check local air quality reports. If you must leave, follow evacuation orders first and the door second.
After smoke clears, wipe the door, seals and tracks with a damp cloth to remove ash. Clopay's care guide says to use mild detergent and warm water and not to use a pressure washer. See garage door repair.
Who to call
Emil Garage Doors repairs garage doors, springs, cables and openers and installs new doors in Oregon, including Ashland, Grants Pass and Roseburg. Call or send your details and a photo of the seal or opener and we book the soonest visit.
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Sources
- Oregon Health Authority: Prepare for wildfire (smoke, closed windows and doors, air cleaners)
- Oregon Smoke Blog: News release, be ready for smoke (make sure windows and doors seal well, filters)
- DASMA Technical Data Sheet 385: Opening a motorized garage door to exit a home through the garage in a power outage
- Clopay: Canyon Ridge care and maintenance guide (cleaning, waxing, seals, balance test, warnings)