Behind The Door: Our Blog

With all the newfound time within the comforts of your home, the need for safe and clean storage in your garage has become apparent. Whether to protect a car, holiday supplies, your workshop, or man cave, the answer is the same. A clean and secure garage will keep out unwanted critters, mold, and balance temperature.

Where to start:

If your stuff wants to fall onto your driveway when your garage door opens, you might want to begin with a good old-fashion goodwill or dump run for all your unused items. Waste management also has yearly Curbside Clean Up events or Bulky appliance removal if notified 24hrs prior. Each are an easy way to dispose of large items and save space in the garage.

Then begin to remove the current unwanted inhabitants: ants, cockroaches, rats, flies, moths, spiders, or crickets by traps or pesticides. Use caution and ensure that children cannot accidentally come into contact with such methods; it may be preferable to have a pest control professional handle the removal. 

Next, inspect for cracks and openings to fill. Foundation, walls, garage weather stripping, and vents are a great place to start. Fill all cracks in the house to prevent further intrusion. If the garage door’s weather stripping doesn’t fully seal against the ground and shows no signs of damage, it may be necessary to relevel your door. This should be done by a professional, as an unlevel door can be very dangerous under spring tension and lead to further issues in the future. Unbalanced doors can fall off the tracks when opening, becoming a liability for the homeowner’s safety as well as any other property it damages. It is important to know that determined pests may still make it into your garage with a proper sealing, but these steps should help negate the issue.

Consider rearranging your garage with the help of wall and overhead storage. These systems will not only protect your belongings from damage but also prevent the return of pests seeking easy residence behind any cardboard boxes.

Broken windows or gaps between the door and drywall should be fixed. An extra level of seal can be provided by having trim around your garage door. Weather stripping at the bottom of your door should always be kept in good repair. 

Vents' importance are twofold! Vents can help regulate humidity and keep mold out of your garage. However, it is important to have the correct vent so that small critters like mice don't crawl into your garage. 

Take action:

Insulated garage doors are also a great option to protect a home’s warmth in the winter and cool in the summer. Insulation is measured on the r-value scale. Garage doors with higher values provide better insulation, for example, R-14 is better than R-12. A better-insulated door can regulate your garage’s temperature up to 10 degrees which can be the difference between cold and freezing or warm and baking! Here is a quick reference guide for R-Value. 

Easy Lift Door Company is happy to help inspect your garage door to make any adjustments needed to keep your home safe and clean, now and in the future. Please contact us to help you meet all your garage door needs.