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5 Ways to Quick Fix Your Garage During the Winter
Although the weather has gotten warmer in Chicago, that does not mean you should wait to get a head start on preparing your garage for more cold temperatures. One way to be proactive is to implement necessary quick fixes to your garage. There are a few different ways you can provide your garage with the care it needs.
Fix or replace weatherstripping:
The purpose of applying weatherstripping to your garage door is to seal any gaps between the door and the garage opening. If it is left on for too long it can crack and allow air to seep in and bring in cold drafts. First, you want to remove the old weatherstripping with a tool such as a pry bar or a scraper. Once the surface is smooth, you can then install the new weatherstripping. It is best to apply when the garage door is closed so the stripping is aligned properly.
Insulate garage walls:
A great form of insulation is fiberglass. To install it correctly you must choose the proper thickness for your walls. After you have completed those measurements, make sure that you securely fasten and cut the insulation to the exact length needed.
How to Clean Up Melted Snow in Your Garage
As the sun begins to stay in the sky for just a little longer each day, the winter weather slowly starts to fade away in the Chicagoland area. As the snow melts, your garage may become damaged due to the excess water. However, there are a number of tactics you can tackle in order to clean up any messes made in your garage and prevent any damages from happening in the future.
Discover where the water is coming from:
Snow can be brought into your garage by a number of ways. One major one is by you pulling your car in and out of your garage every day in the winter. Snow can get stuck under your car or on your tires and melt overnight, causing water to seep through the surface and cause long term damage to your garage floor or walls. You may discover that melting snow is coming in through openings around your garage door too. Knowing the root of the problem will make it easier to keep it from happening again.
Discover the Type of Garage Floor Mat You Should Use
There are many different garage maintenance tasks you can implement in order to protect your floor from the wear and tear of harsh weather. One way to take preventative measures is to lay down a garage floor mat. These protective mats come in a variety of styles and sizes so that you may add a mat to your garage as well.
Installing a mat is done for a variety of reasons toprotecting your garage from wear and tear. A few conditions a mat can guard your garage floor against are heavy duty snow, oil leaks from a car, and spills. While there are a number mat materials you can choose from, it is beneficial to understand the pros of each one before you make a purchase.
Drymate fabric garage floor mat: For those of you who live in Illinois, you know that winter time usually comes with a good amount of snow. To prevent flooding caused by melted snow in your garage, apply a Drymate fabric garage mat. It has the ability to absorb liquids while providing an anti-slip surface.
4 Ways to Evaluate Your Garage Performance this Winter
Illinois winters can be rough on your garage. With this season comes freezing temperatures, snowy and wet conditions, and sometimes even high winds. However, there are a number of ways to evaluate the performance of your garage during the winter.
Provide a winter maintenance check to the exterior of your garage:
Harsh winter conditions can cause the exterior of your garage to rust or become damaged. In order to evaluate the performance of the outside of your garage, you will need a few useful cleaning supplies to see just how sturdy your garage is. These supplies can include a rag or mop in the case of any water buildup and salt to put on the ground to prevent ice from forming. Make sure that your external keypad to open and close your garage has not been affected by the cold weather as well. Usually, keypads contain a 9-volt battery, so ensure that there is an ample amount of battery life for the cold winter months. Taking these steps are just a few ways to assess your garage performance.
How to Maintain a Fresh Smelling Garage
Rotten odors may begin to form in your garage if you do not clean it during the long, damp winter months in Illinois. However, there are a few cleaning tactics that you can apply to protect your garage from smells.
Hideaway items with odor:
It may not be possible to eliminate all of the smells from your garage, but you can limit the number of them that are forming. One way to remove some odors is to have a designated storage space where you put all of your items that are a little more smelly than the rest. Keep this area tucked away, so when guests come over, they will not have to deal with the strong odors.
Inspect for cracks:
If there are any cracks in your garage walls or floors, the mold may sneak its way through. In order to prevent this from occurring again, you should remove any water puddles, as long-standing water sometimes attracts mold. Another possible solution is to install a dehumidifier, resulting in the moisture level to drop.
5 Ways to Improve Your Garage Appearance
The overall look of your garage is important for a number of reasons. For one, if your garage is well kept and visually appealing, the chances of a potential homebuyer viewing your home is more likely. It is almost necessary to have the appearance of your garage kept up to date and looking presentable if you are planning on selling your home in the near future. Here are just a few ways to help beautify an average garage.
1. Upgrade your garage door:
The door is usually the largest and most prominent part of your garage. So it is beneficial to make sure it attracts someone's attention but in a good way. There are many different types of garage door materials you can use to update your door, such as aluminum (one of the most popular materials), vinyl, and wood.
2. Repaint around your garage door:
It can become noticeable when the paint starts to chip away on the outside of your house or garage. Put some time aside to touch up your garage by adding a new shiny coat when the weather gets warm in the spring. The color does not have to be a bright or vibrant. As long as it looks professional, you are off to a great start.
How Your Garage Can Affect the Selling of Your Home
Potential homebuyers typically create a checklist of what they desire to have in their new house. When it comes time for you to sell your home, make sure that you are ready to "wow" those viewing it with your updated and well-organized garage. There some resources you have to option of using to ensure that your garage is in good shape for the people that move in.
Speak with your real estate agent about what works:
He or she may have first-hand insight on whether or not the status of your garage currently will help or harm the selling of your home.
One car vs. two car garage:
The number of cars that one can fit into their garage is sometimes critical to buyers. There are many families that prefer to have a two car garage because this gives them more space for storage.
Hire a garage builder to work on a redesign to help sell your home:
All you might need is just a little bit of a redesigning in your garage. Simply organizing what you already have and adding some paint or shelves to give your garage a more "homey" feel makes a big difference when it comes time to impressing potential home buyers.
New Year's Garage Resolutions
As you ring in 2017, you may have created a list of New Year's resolutions. When writing down what you wish to accomplish in the next 12 months, adding the task of examining your garage could be beneficial to consider.
Overall garage maintenance: There are a number of issues that can happen to your garage throughout the long winter months in Illinois. In order to ensure that your garage stays in good condition, a yearly examination is essential to discovering any problematic issues. Some of these issues may have a temporary fix, but you have to consider the long term affects each problem may have to the garage. The best option may be to invest and replace specific parts instead of repairing them so that they are functional and safe.
Shingles that are not intact: There are certain signs that signify that you may need new shingles on your garage roof. If they are curling or buckling, this means that they are way past their life expectancy and you will need to replace them. Additionally, you could be missing a few singles. In that case, replace them immediately.
How to Host a Football Party in Your Garage
Your garage space has the ability to be transformed into just about any creative idea you have if you put the time and effort into it. Now that the holidays are over, it is time for sports lovers to focus on what they enjoy most. Transforming your garage into a place to host a football party is just one way to celebrate your favorite team's victory. Before tackling the decorations, there are a few important key steps you must put into place.
When there is not enough room in your house, use the garage:
If your home is not the ideal size to host a large party, transform your garage into a comfortable area for your friends and family to gather. As long as you have the proper appliances accessible and all unnecessary tools and items in your garage are put away, you should be all set to begin organizing your football party.
Safety comes first:
Illinois weather is typically cold during football season, especially around the Super Bowl. So, remember to insulate your garage so that it remains warm for your guests. Another warming source to consider is setting up a few heating lamps. Just one or two lamps should be fine in your garage to ensure that this space is properly heated at all times.
How to Prevent Mice From Nesting in Your Garage
There are a number of ways that you can prepare your garage for certain situations such as the winter weather, decorations for Thanksgiving, or even reorganizing your garage. However, there may come a time when you have to prepare your garage space well in advance so that little critters, such as mice and squirrels, do not invade and repopulate your space. If you are faced with the task of getting rid of mice, there are steps you can take to prevent them from getting into your house.
There are a few mouse characteristics that may affect how quickly you begin the process of eliminating them in your garage, such as:
- There has been an abundance of mice in the U.S. in 2016, and the mouse population is on the rise.
- Mice have the ability to begin reproducing as early as 6-weeks-old, so it is important to take preventative measures as quickly as possible to lessen the chances of more mice appearing in your home.
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