With autumn weather now in full swing, now is the best time to ensure your garage is prepared for winter to carry it through the colder seasons ahead. If you’re at the start of preparing your garage for winter or want some top tips on getting your garage winter-ready, we’ve pulled together our top tips for preparing your garage for winter including your garage door.
The first thing you should do when getting your garage ready for winter is to check the contents of your garage space. If you store any food or perishable items in your garage, now is the best time to have a clear out and ensure your garage space is clear and uncluttered for the colder season ahead. If you have any items in your garage that are sensitive to temperature fluctuations, it might be a good idea to move these to another space or put some protection such as insulation around those items.
During your winter garage sort-out, take the time to store summer items such as gardening tools or other outdoor items such as outdoor seat cushions neatly and securely away.
The next step in preparing your garage for winter is to check your garage door. Doing this now ensures you won't be stuck doing repair work in freezing conditions when a problem becomes clear later on down the line. During this garage door winterizing stage, check all of the moving parts of your garage door to ensure they move without problem. If needed, lubricate the moving parts to ensure they remain in good working condition over autumn, winter and the colder days of early spring. Winter proofing your garage door can help your garage door last longer and maintain its efficiency. Take a look at our blog for some more garage maintenance tips.
Whilst preparing your garage door for winter, do a thorough check of your garage door seals and weatherstripping. If you have a weather seal around the edge of your garage door, check that it is intact with no signs of visible damage. You might want to give your garage door seals a quick wipe down with a damp cloth to remove any dirt or residue that may be concealing problems or causing your garage door seals to be less efficient due to build up. Sealing your garage door for winter can help stop external elements from entering your garage and causing damage as well as increasing winter heating bills.
The winter months are notorious for wet and windy weather so whilst preparing your garage for winter, you might want to think about installing a garage floor seal to seal the underside of your garage door and stop rainwater or floodwater from entering your garage under the garage door during winter.
If you have windows in your garage space, now is a good time to check them for any wear and tear. Check the glass itself as well as where it fits into the frame for any damage that cause cold air to enter your garage and potentially your home. You should also check your window seals in order to prepare your garage for the wet and cold weather winter brings. If they are damaged or past their best, you might want to think about replacing them before the winter weather really kicks in to prepare your garage for winter.
If you have an older garage, take a look at the areas around the windows and doors in your garage. If there are any holes in the frame or surrounding area, you might want to repair these or at least block these to stop water, cold air and potentially rodents from taking refuge in your garage space over winter.
If you have any exposed piping in your garage either inside or outside of your garage space, it is a good idea to protect this over winter with some insulation. You can buy pipe insulation cheaply at most DIY stores and this should be wrapped carefully but firmly around your pipes to protect against freezing temperatures. If you have a tap in your garage, it is a good idea to cover this with a faucet protector to insulate it against the cold. These are readily available at most DIY stores or even your local supermarket.
One thing that always comes with winter weather is wet weather and this can have an effect on your garage floor. There are a few ways to keep your garage floor clean in winter. One way is to add heavy-duty floor mats near your garage door and any entryways. This can help catch dirt, snow and salt before they make their way into your garage. They can also prevent slipping on your garage floor during wet weather. Some people choose a garage floor coating such as a non-slip floor sealant to protect their garage floor from damage during the winter and make cleaning easier as well as making your floor safer to walk on.
If your garage door is in need of some TLC, give it a refresh with some new garage door seals. Stormstop manufactures a number of garage door seals and weatherstripping products here in the UK to help protect your garage over winter. Take a look at our collection now. Alternatively, contact our team now to see how we can help with our door seal products.
