Of all the seasons, it is winter that affects us the most with its extremely cold weather. Not just us but also our garage. Everything from the garage floor to the garage walls is affected. Due to the cold temperatures, moisture seeps into the garage spaces and ruins the electrical outlets, water pipes, air inlets, etc.
The garage doors suffer the worst damage compared to the other parts of the garage. Everything from the garage door panels to its minute components like rollers, cables, hinges, etc. rust during the cold winter months. So, when winter approaches, one must first think of winter-proofing the garage. Call expert garage door specialists to prepare your garage door to combat the cold months.
Tips for winter-proofing your garage
Check the weather stripping
To start with, we must first prevent frost and snow from seeping into the garage. To accomplish this, you must strengthen its weather seal. First, inspect the weatherstripping of the garage.
Weatherstripping usually becomes brittle in harsh winter conditions. If there are cracks or rips, call a garage door technician to replace them at once. Check if there is a cold draft from the windows, scrape out the old garage door seal and fit a new one. A V-shaped Garage door weatherstripping can do you a world of good.
Installing tight seals and sealing all passive air vents with duct tape is a must for all residential and commercial garages.
Improve your Garage door insulation
It is very important to keep your garage warm during the winter. This will improve the energy efficiency of your garage and reduce the energy bills at home.
Fiberglass batt insulation is the best as it comes in rolls and can be bent to fit even the smallest crevices of our garage door. Rigid foam insulation is equally good but it comes in sheets and might be difficult to cut to the size of your door.
Garage insulation is a specialized area with many factors like R-value being involved. It is better to consult a garage door specialist before purchasing any insulation kits.
Install a Garage Heater
If you use your garage as an extra storage space or family area, you must keep the garage comfortable and warm. Just fitting weather seals and garage insulation is not enough. Fix a garage heater to combat the winter weather. Whatever be the outdoor temperature, this daily heating by this device will cut down on your heating costs and give energy savings.
Relay your garage floor
Winter moisture can make your garage floor slippery and dangerous. Prevent this by relaying the floor with liquid stone, vinyl, or epoxy.
Check the garage door opener
During winter, nothing is more terrifying than being stuck outside in the cold. Make sure that this never happens by ensuring that the garage door opener is working well. Call a reliable garage technician to check the opener. Always keep spare batteries handy.
Check the cables and rollers
Winter causes severe damage to garage parts. Cables get brittle and frayed. Rollers get chipped and broken. Treat them as a priority and call a seasoned garage door company to repair or replace them to prevent further damage to your garage door.
Lubricate
Due to cold temperatures, many garage components like rollers or hinges might rust and cause the door to get stuck or jammed. It is better to lubricate these parts to avoid any door stoppage.
Put tools and supplies aside
Using the garage as storage space is not a bad idea provided you do not dump stuff here and there. Keep all gardening tools like shovel, barrow, etc aside to be readily available for future use. You might need them to plow the snow.
Stock winter products
Gather all winter supplies like sand and salt to keep off the snow from your garage floor. Have bottled water ready to combat storms. Sweep the garage floor with a stiff broom and keep it clean.
Benefits of winter-proofing your garage
Weatherproofing your garage for winter is not just for aesthetic appeal. It reduces your heating bills and energy costs. An insulated garage door keeps your garage warmer. Basic weather stripping makes your garage door stronger and helps it to last longer.
Seek the help of a skilled local garage door specialist serving Fort Lauderdale like Eden Garage Doors for proper winter-proofing and protecting your garage door for life.