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Recent Blog Posts
5 Safety Tips to Get Your Garage Ready for Spring
As the weather warms up and the snow melts away, many homeowners are excited to start working on spring projects. But before you dive into your to-do list, take some time to get your garage ready for the season by making sure your garage door and other necessary maintenance is done. Your garage can be a hub of activity during the spring, so it is important to ensure it's safe for you and your family.
Here are five tips to help you get your garage ready for spring and keep it safe.
Tip 1: Clear Clutter and Organize
A cluttered garage is a dangerous garage. Piles of boxes, tools, and other items can create tripping hazards and make it difficult to move around. Start by decluttering any items you no longer need or use. Then, organize the remaining items into categories and use storage solutions like shelves, pegboards, and cabinets to keep everything in its place.
Tip 2: Check Electrical Systems
Is Your Garage Door Weather-Ready?
As the winter continues across the country, the midwest is getting exceptionally harsh weather. The Chicago area is not exempt from Mother Nature's cold chill. There are many ways to prepare for such weather and various items that will need your attention. Homeowners will typically make sure that their faucets are dripping, their windows are properly sealed, and their driveways are prepped, but they will often overlook a very important facet of the house. The door to your garage battles all kinds of weather, and Blue Sky Builders, Inc. is here to make certain that it is up to the challenge.
What to Look For?
On the surface, the door to your garage may seem very simple, but it comprises many important parts and features. Checking these different areas of your garage can be done very quickly and can make a world of difference down the road.
Check the exterior weatherstripping - Start on the outside around the border of the door. Make sure there are not any splits or cracks along the sides. Extreme temperatures and sun exposure weaken rubber stripping and can make it brittle. If you notice any ice forming around the weatherstripping, make sure to remove it quickly.
Overhead Storage Ideas for Your Chicago Area Garage
The constant struggle for adequate storage space can drive a person bananas. There is one type of storage that is forgotten about and often overlooked. Overhead and ceiling storage may not be the most convenient, but it does offer additional space to stow away items that are bulky and not needed on a constant basis. Blue Sky Builders, Inc. is your resource for finding the most efficient and safe way to add overhead storage to your garage .
What Should You Store Overhead?
Deciding what can be kept in overhead storage may be tricky. You do not want to choose items that weigh too much or could slide around easily. Additionally, try to avoid storing things that you frequently use or will need on a regular basis. Some good examples of some items that would be appropriate include:
- Seasonal decorations
- Summer Patio Furniture
- Luggage
- Camping Equipment
- Sports gear
- Coolers
Try to avoid anything that might roll around or fall if jostled. If you store smaller objects, moving alike things together into plastic totes or storage bins can be very beneficial. Keeping similar things together and labeling the bins will make finding what you need easier down the road, as well. Your future self will thank you!
How To Fall In Love With Your Garage
Is your garage in a less-than-desirable state? Perhaps you recently purchased a home and the garage is in need of some repairs. Maybe the garage you have is in good condition but has gotten a little chaotic over the years. Whatever the status of your garage, there is always room to elevate and renovate. Let Blue Sky Builders, Inc. offer you some tips and ideas to fall in love with your garage all over again.
Renovation and Restoration
If you have a garage on your property that has been in disrepair from the beginning, then it may be time to start and begin the restoration process; a great place to begin is from the ground up.
- New Flooring - Giving the floor a good cleaning can go a long way. If it is in bad shape, there are many options available, such as painting, concrete grinding, sealing, or applying an epoxy coating.
- Garage Door - The door may be too small for modern midsized cars if you have a garage door that was built a few decades ago. The front walls can be upgraded and widened to accommodate new doors. This is also a good opportunity to exchange the door for something more aesthetically pleasing or modern. Lastly, do not forget to install a garage door opener if it is missing one!
How Your Chicago Area Garage Could Be a Party Spot
Have you been tasked with hosting a party, but are unsure if you have the room? Did you make plans for an outdoor party, but the weather has forced you to change locations at the last minute? Do you have messy children, or even messier parents, coming over to watch the big game? Perhaps converting your garage to host the party is the option for you! Turning your garage into the perfect party pad is easier than you may think!
Making a Clean Space
The first step in getting your garage ready for guests is of course cleaning and organizing. Putting things away and clearing the room is important to ensure you have proper floor space for everyone. Consider moving any dangerous tools or equipment to a spot where guests cannot reach them. Some key things to keep in mind before decorating are:
- Sweeping and mopping the floor
- Adding new lighting
- Making sure door to house and the garage door are in proper working condition
- Installing an air conditioner or heater depending on the climate
How to Finish Your Chicago Area Garage
As we continue through this new year and as many of us are reinventing ourselves, it is also a good time to reinvent our living spaces –– including our garages. We have given you ideas on transforming your garage into unique spaces for work or projects. But what if you are not looking to use your garage as a personal gym or home office? Blue Sky Builders, Inc. is here to show you how you can transform your garage into a brand-new space without changing its purpose.
What Does a ‘Finished' Garage Mean?
Though garages are often overlooked when it comes to home renovation, it can make a world of difference to finish a garage. What a ‘finished' garage means can be entirely dependent on your preferences. Most of the time the remodels would include:
- New Flooring
- Dry Wall
- Added Lighting
- New Organization
- New Doors
- Heating and Air Conditioning
- Plumbing
Not all of these options are necessary to finish a garage, but all of them are popular options associated with the process.
Setting up an Office in Your Chicago Area Garage
As we are making our way into the new year, some of us have been hard at work reinvigorating ourselves with our New Year's resolutions. Perhaps you have taken it upon yourself to work on some new projects or hobbies? A large part of keeping ourselves interested in particular projects is having an appropriate space to work in. If your home doesn't have such a space, looking out to your garage can become a viable option. With the help of Blue Sky Builders, Inc., converting your garage into an office or work space can be much easier than you might imagine.
Where to Begin
Space is an issue many of us deal with in regard to our homes and garage. If you are running short on space within your garage, the first step may be to look into reorganizing and sorting through the clutter. Consider using overhead storage or reassigning some items to other parts of the house.
Next, you must decide how large the office should be. Are you looking for something small with just a desk and some shelving? This could be adequate for projects and hobbies such as writing, puzzle building, or painting. If this is your situation, a small section of the garage can be converted into the desired space.
Turning Your Chicago Area Garage into A Personal Gym
As the new year winds up, many of us make goals and resolutions to get in better shape. But if you are not a member of a gym already, it may be uncomfortable or inconvenient to get to a gym often. One solution is to convert a room in your home into a personal gym or workout room. However, if you do not have the space in your house, the garage provides an ideal spot for you to set up. Blue Sky Builders, Inc. is here to provide you with a few ideas on how to turn your garage into the ideal workout space for you!
What Should I Consider Before Starting?
There are a couple of points to consider before you jump head-first into the project:
How Large is the Garage?
Having a two-car garage with usage from only one vehicle can be a perfect place to start building your home gym. Any unoccupied space by a car or tools can be cleared out and optimized to fit benches, dumbbell racks, and machines used for cardio such as a treadmill or a rowing machine.
What Are My Goals?
New Year Means a New Garage
A new year can be a time to start fresh and make resolutions to make improvements. Most of these goals for the year may include ways to stay fit, eat better, or read more. Not all your resolutions have to be aimed at yourself, however. Starting a new year can also be the perfect time to improve your garage . In fact, renovating your garage can also be a useful step in helping you achieve other new years goals.
Out with the Old
As we all know, the garage can become a dumping zone for odds and ends very quickly. This seems to be especially true during the winter. Although it is not an exciting task, going through the clutter and getting organized is the first step for bringing your garage into the new year.
- Sort through tools - Making sure everything has a spot is vital for staying organized. As you go through everything, assess your belongings if you truly need all of them. If there are certain items that you no longer use or have broken, now is the best time to let them go.
Tips for Heating Your Chicago Area Garage
We have talked before about various methods of controlling the climate in your garage, but what are your options for heating a garage ? Chicago area winters are often bitterly cold, and this year is proving to be no different. Keeping your garage warm and comfortable during winter can be beneficial or even necessary in some cases. Blue Sky Builders, Inc. is here to give you a few ideas to find what method of heating is best for you and your garage.
Electric Heaters
There are a few different options when it comes to electric heaters. Though they are not a permanent solution and can be dangerous –– a portable electric heater can be handy in a pinch. They can be good if you do not need to be in the garage for a long time, but be careful not to knock them over or leave them on for long periods.
Mounted electric heaters or baseboard heaters are a safer option as they are fixed and provide a more permanent solution. These can be fairly cost-effective, given the garage is properly insulated.
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