As a homeowner living in Tennessee or the Clarksville-Montgomery County area, you know our winters are a mixed bag of tricks weather wise. But we know we will have days when temperatures drop below freezing. Combine that with cold, rainy (or snowy) forecasts, and you have a few months of the year that are much less pleasant than the rest.
You may be wondering how to prep your garage for winter. During the winter months, cold air can seep into your garage, affecting the items inside. Read on to discover tips on how to keep your garage warm in winter and protect it from seasonal harm.
- Organize Your Items
You’ve heard of spring cleaning, but now it’s time to apply that approach to the fall. A messy garage is challenging enough. Stepping over tools, toys, lawn equipment, and storage bins is worse when it’s cold and you’re trying to get to your vehicle. Take some time to organize the items in your garage before the cold weather strikes.
A clean garage will help you accomplish the remaining tips on this list. You’ll be able to access your key winter equipment with ease, and you’ll always know where your belongings are. Save yourself some annoyance and organize your garage while the weather is still warm.
- Create an Area for Wet Shoes and Clothing
Winter is not the cleanest of seasons. Water, salt, slush, and dirt have a way of clinging to your shoes and clothes as you go about your day. The last thing you want is to track this stuff into your living space.
Organizing your garage should give you more room to solve this issue. Set aside some space as a “drop zone.” This area will be where you and your family can take off your wet boots, shoes, coats, or other items. Keep the winter mess out of your living space with this designated spot.
- Winterize Warm-Weather Equipment
Chances are, you’re not going to be using your lawn equipment during winter. You might tuck them in the far corner of your garage and let them hibernate until it’s time to use them again. There’s nothing wrong with this, but the cold weather can be damaging.
That’s why you should winterize your essential outdoor equipment. Doing so involves adding a fuel stabilizer to the fuel tanks and disconnecting any batteries. These actions can protect your equipment during long periods of idleness.
- Insulate Walls and Windows
Most of the time, garages are colder than the rest of your home’s living spaces. They don’t need the same degree of insulation to pass inspection, so your garage’s temperature can drop as the rest of your home stays warm. However, this cold air can seep into your living space.
Insulate your garage’s walls and windows to keep the cold air outside. This tip is especially crucial if you have an unfinished garage with exposed wall framing and ceilings. Apply fiberglass garage door insulation to the walls and ceilings. Use weather-resistant plastic to cover the windows for more protection. Taking these steps can keep your garage’s temperature several degrees higher all winter.
- Seal Cracks and Small Openings
Cracks in your exterior garage walls and small openings around windows and electrical outlets can let in the cold air. They may not seem like much of a problem, but the cold air will accumulate and lower your garage’s temperature, risking damage to your stored items.
Use an exterior seal to fill cracks on your garage’s outer wall. Apply caulking around the interior of your windowpanes. Remove your outlet covers and fill empty spaces with small pieces of fiberglass insulation. These actions will seal these small openings to provide more winter protection for your garage.
- Seal Garage Door Floor
Cities salt their roads during the winter to protect drivers from the dangers of ice, snow, and slush. This salt will cling to your car and get on your garage floor. It can then eat away at your floor’s finish, damaging its appearance. As a savvy homeowner, you’ll want to learn how to protect your garage floor from salt.
Apply sealant to your garage floor to safeguard it from salt damage during the winter. Follow all instructions listed on the product to ensure a successful application. You’ll also need to clean your garage floor after application to prolong the sealant’s life.
- Make Your Floor Safer for Walking
You should know how to protect your garage floor from snow to prevent slips and injuries. When your car first enters your garage, it will drip water all over your garage floor, creating an injury hazard.
Create a foam insulation dam around your vehicle to keep dripping water from spreading across the floor. Foam insulation is safe to drive over and peels off with a putty knife when you’ve finished using it. Also, consider placing mats on your garage floor to keep people from slipping.
- Protect Your Pipes and Water Heater
Cold temperatures put your pipes at risk of freezing. Frozen pipes can burst, inflicting water damage on your garage and living space. Use pipe insulation to keep pipes warm. This step will also save energy, as it prevents stored heat from escaping.
If you keep your water heater in your garage, you should consider protecting it from the cold temperatures. Your water heater might radiate heat, reducing the interior water temperature. Cover your water heater with an insulating blanket to keep the heat where you want it.
- Inspect and Prepare Your Garage Door and Opener
You depend on your garage door and opener every day. Their proper functioning is more important in the winter when the weather is cold and have ice or snow built up around the Garage Door. The last thing you want is a faulty garage door opener trapping you outside.
You should hire a professional to inspect your garage door and opener before winter comes. Doing the task, yourself can be dangerous. A pro can tell if your garage door needs repairs or insulation to keep the cold weather out. They’ll also check your garage door opener to ensure it’s in good working order.
Blue Jay Garage Doors Can Help Prepare Your Garage Door for Winter
Winter can be tough on your garage. But with Blue Jay Garage Doors help, you can prepare for winter to protect your valuable possessions and potentially save on heating bills. We provide a full range of residential garage doors and openers, plus repairs and services. When you need garage door help, we’re the ones to call.
Give us a call today at 931-330-BLUE and we will get out to you in most cases the same day. We look forward to serving you!
