Autumn is fast approaching and one of the first signs you’ve likely noticed is the first bits of foliage on your driveway. You might even be noticing some of those leaves sneaking in under your garage door. This is a common issue and although quite annoying, it’s also easily fixable. If you’re wondering how to stop leaves blowing under the garage door, this handy guide is for you!
If you’re looking to stop leaves getting into the garage, it helps to understand how they get there in the first place. When the wind hits the flat surface of your garage wall (and door), it creates a low-pressure pocket and the air that’s circulating swirls right at ground level easily pushing the foliage and any other lightweight debris through your door. If your garage door bottom seal is missing or broken, this can happen even when the entrance is closed as the foliage will sneak in through the gaps underneath.
In autumn and winter this can become even more difficult to manage as wet leaves break down and mix in with dirt, debris etc making it quite challenging to keep your space clean.
During autumn you can regularly sweep the area or use a leaf blower to remove the foliage and debris. If you do this once a day it should only take you about 15 minutes but will save you hours of cleaning piled up mulch, dirt, etc that’s been built up over a longer time and will also keep leaves out of your garage.
If your door is misaligned or stops short of the floor this can leave gaps underneath where foliage can enter which is why it’s a good idea to check whether the bottom edge meets the floor evenly and whether the existing seal makes contact across the full width of the opening. On powered doors you might need to correct the closing limit so that the motor lowers it all the way down to the floor instead of stopping short.
If the panel sits unevenly however or leaves gaps at the sides make sure to reach out to a professional to look at the alignment.
One simple way to stop leaves blowing under the garage door is to set up a small fan facing the entrance. It will help create a positive air pressure zone that will stop any leaves, debris, dirt etc from entering. Make sure to position it a few feet inside pointing directly at the entrance, you might also want to tilt the head slightly downward towards the bottom where the gaps usually are.
The easiest and most effective way to stop leaves blowing under the garage door is to install a high quality garage door threshold seal as it will act as a garage leaf barrier and close the gap between the panel and the floor. If your current seal is worn out or you’re not currently using one, this will instantly prevent any debris including foliage from being blown in. As an added bonus, it will also help you lower your energy bills as draught proofing has been reported to save individuals about £80 - £90 a year!
If you’ll be installing a new seal to stop leaves getting into the garage, you’ll need to choose a product that fits your door type. At StormStop, we offer a range of high quality options:
In case you need any help finding the best product to help keep leaves out of the garage, give our friendly team a call and we’ll be happy to help and recommend the best solutions. Alternatively, fill out our quick contact form below and we’ll be in touch soon!
