If you live next to the sea, you'll need to take extra care to make sure that your garage door opener tracks don't become rusty. This will quickly cause them to lose structural integrity and begin to move out of alignment, and will often necessitate a complete replacement, so take the following three steps to make sure your tracks aren't compromised by the sea air.

1. Spray with WD-40

Salt alone doesn't cause rust – it also needs to be kept active via moisture. Unfortunately, most coastal areas offer a problematic combination of salt and humidity in the air; elevated temperatures, which are often felt along popular coastal areas, also play a part. One of the best things you can do is spray your tracks down with WD-40. Most people will have a can of this lying around somewhere, but it can be easily found in stores throughout the country.

WD-40 contains a non-volatile viscous oil that remains on the surface you apply it to. Most people know this as an excellent way to provide lubrication, but it will also protect against moisture. Any salt that comes in contact with your tracks will be less likely to cause rust.

2. Keep the Door Closed

Finally, try not to keep the garage door open too often. This will let in more sea air and raise the humidity. Be particularly careful when it is hot. The humid air will come in, then create condensation as it cools overnight. If you have to do some work inside, try just turning on the light instead of opening up the door during the day.

3. Wash Your Vehicle Thoroughly Before Vacations  

Unless you're going to go the whole hog and have your garage made air-tight, some sea air is always going to penetrate. However, your car will bring most of the moisture from outside. It's going to be inconvenient to clean it off every time you put it in the garage, but it might be worth giving it a wash if you're going to leave it inside for more than a day or two.

Next time you're taking a trip, wash the car down thoroughly using a pressure washer to make sure that you get all of the salt dust out of every area, then rub it down until it is completely dry before you put it in the garage. As an added plus, this should help the vehicle stay free of rust too.

If you do find rust on your garage, don't hesitate to call a professional garage door repair company. 

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