# Garage door frozen shut? What to do, and what not to do

> The door will not lift and the opener strains. What the door makers say to do about a door frozen to the floor, what not to do, and when a heavy door or a broken spring means call a technician.

Source: https://garagedoorscience.com/blog/garage-door-frozen-shut-what-to-do · by rick · published 2026-10-04 · updated 2026-10-04

You pressed the button and the opener hummed, or strained, and the door stayed where it was. If it is below freezing and there was wet snow or water at the bottom of the door, the likeliest answer is that the door is frozen to the floor. Here is what the two door makers we read say to do, and what they say not to do.

## Why it happens

Clopay says the door ["could be frozen to the concrete"](https://www.clopaydoor.com/blog/post/blog/2024/01/15/fixing-garage-door-problems-from-cold-weather) when the bottom weatherseal sits in water or wet snow that later freezes. Raynor says ice and snow built up at the bottom edge can leave the door [stuck to the garage floor](https://raynor.com/checklist-keep-your-garage-door-working-smoothly-this-winter/).

## Do not force it, and do not run the opener against it

Clopay says: ["Do not try to force your door open and break the ice."](https://www.clopaydoor.com/blog/post/blog/2024/01/15/fixing-garage-door-problems-from-cold-weather) Forcing it could rip the weatherseal, which lets water, snow and cold air in.

Raynor says not to cycle the automatic opener to try to break the door loose. [Its reason: the opener is designed for normal loads, not for lifting against a solid freeze.](https://raynor.com/checklist-keep-your-garage-door-working-smoothly-this-winter/) Stop pressing the button.

## What the makers say to do

1. **Clear the ice.** Clopay says to gently chip away at the ice or use warm water to melt it. Raynor says to scrape ice and snow away with a flat-blade shovel or spade, taking care not to hit the door because that can damage the finish.
2. **If it is still stuck,** Raynor says to soften the ice with a hot air gun or hair dryer, keeping it away from the door and the weather strip so neither is damaged or burned. The two makers name different tools, so use whichever is gentler on your door and read your own door's manual.
3. **Then raise the door and dry the floor.** Clopay says to raise the door, then clean and dry the area so the door does not refreeze to it.

## What not to put on it

Clopay says not to use ice melt on the door, especially a metal door, and to clean it off as soon as you can if some gets on. It also says not to try folk remedies from friends or neighbors before checking with the door's dealer.

## If the door will not lift once the ice is gone

Clopay says to disconnect the opener and try the door manually, and always to disconnect the opener when the door is closed. Our [guide to a power outage](/blog/garage-door-power-outage-seasons) walks through the release cord. If the door moves freely once the ice is gone, try the opener again. If the opener still hums or strains and the door will not move, see [when the opener runs but the door won't move](/blog/garage-door-opener-runs-but-door-wont-move).

If the door will not open by hand, or feels very heavy, stop. Clopay says that can mean a broken spring, and that spring wire becomes more brittle in cold weather. A popping noise the last time the door moved, or a coil above the door that looks split in two, are the signs it describes. Do not lift a door that feels very heavy, drops fast or will not stay up, and do not touch the spring or the cables. Clopay says the repair must be handled by a professional, and our [spring and cold weather guide](/blog/springs-cold-weather) explains why the cold makes this more likely.

## Keeping it from happening again

The ice forms where the bottom seal meets wet concrete, so the bottom seal and the floor under it are where to look. Our [weather seal guide](/blog/best-garage-door-weather-seal) covers what to check, and the [winterizing checklist](/blog/garage-door-winterizing-checklist-before-the-first-freeze) puts it in the order to do it before the first freeze. Clopay's cold-weather advice on lubrication is a silicone-based lubricant on the metal parts, not WD-40, and nothing on nylon rollers. Our rule is narrower: the hinge pins and steel roller bearings only, never the tracks, and the spring is a technician's job ([how often to lubricate](/blog/how-often-to-lubricate-garage-door)).

If the door still will not come free, or the springs or cables look wrong, call a technician rather than forcing it. [A+ Garage Doors (our affiliated installer)](https://aplusgaragedoor.com/residential/repair/) repairs garage doors in Las Vegas, and [Garage Door Pro Services (our affiliated installer)](https://garagedoorproservices.com/) covers repair in their service areas.