Guide
Garage doors and Indiana winters
If your door is frozen to the floor, stop pressing the button. Running the opener against the ice can tear the seal or strain the motor.
Your call goes to an independent garage door contractor.
Freeing a frozen door
Chip the ice away from the seal with a plastic scraper, working along the bottom edge, and take care not to cut the rubber. Skip the hot water, because it runs under the door and freezes again.
If the bottom edge is clear and the door still won't move, the ice wasn't the problem. Go to the page on doors that won't open.
Stopping it happening again
January nights around Indianapolis normally drop to about 21 degrees, so anything wet along the bottom of the door can freeze by morning. Snow melting off the car is a common source of that water, so sweep it away from the door before it sets.
Check the bottom seal in the fall. Rubber that has hardened or cracked lets water in, and replacing it is a small job before winter.
Choosing a door for the cold
Insulation matters most when the garage shares a wall with the house or has a room above it, because it cuts the cold that reaches those rooms. It matters less on a detached garage.
Insulated doors are heavier, so ask the contractor to confirm that the springs and the opener match the new weight. Windows let in light and let out heat, so ask about the glass if you want them.
Need someone to look at the door?
Call this number to reach an independent contractor. Say what the door is doing, whether it is stuck open or shut, and what happened just before it stopped.