During the winter months, it can often feel like your garage is colder than the freezing weather outside. While garages are not typically heated like a home, they should still provide some relief from the cold weather. Instead of shivering every time you park, you can make changes to help keep some warmth in the garage. By working with a garage door repair company, you can prepare your garage for many winters to come. The following five methods are great starting points and will make an instant difference for your garage temperature.
Window Insulation & Kits
One of the more vulnerable areas in your garage are windows. Whether there are windows on the building or the garage door, these areas can allow a lot of cold air to flow freely into the garage. To help reduce the cold air flow, a insulation kit can be installed. These kits help fill the cracks and add more clear covering to the window. For windows that are not a part of the door, the use of energy efficient curtains can help block out cold air. Thick coverings like thermal window curtains will help absorb the cold air and push it back out the window instead of creating a draft in your garage.
For the garage door windows, technicians have the option of installing new ones. Double-pane energy-efficient windows are thicker and can keep cold temperatures outside the garage while still allowing heat and sunlight to beam into the garage. When the new windows are installed, extra insulation can be used on the edges so that the draft inside the garage is reduced.
Pipe Insulation
Many garages have pipes coming in and it of them for water, heat, and other needs. Leaving those pipes bare exposes the cold weather to your garage and can also case additional damage to the pipes. One of the easiest ways to fix this is with pipe insulation. Pipe insulation is typically made of large foam pieces that easily wrap around the section of pipe. Make sure that you purchase the right size insulation. Insulation that is too small for the pipe will leave sections exposed. Insulation that is too large can fall off.
New Garage Doors
One of the biggest and most glaring problems in your garage is the door. Hollow or thin garage doors are basically like only using a screen door on your house in the winter. It allows cold air in and creates all kinds of temperature problems. New garage door installations can make a huge difference for your home and the temperatures inside of your garage.
When working with garage door technicians, request doors with a lot of insulation and winter protection. This will give you options for more durable doors that are filled with insulation and materials to block out the cold.
Garage Outlets
Adding outlets to your garage is a great way to charge tools and have extra power, but these outlets can also be a source of cold weather leaks. By placing your hand over an outlet, you can feel if cold air is flowing through and into your garage. The best way to prevent this from happening is with outlet insulation kits. The kits will help block the cold air flow and still give you full access to the outlets in your garage.
The foam pieces in the kit are installed directly behind the face plate on the outlets. It is an easy task to complete, but if you're uncomfortable around electricity, then you can have a technician complete the installation on every outlet in your garage.
Garage Flooring
A cold hard floor in your garage does nothing to absorb temperatures during the winter. The simple solution for this is large throw rugs. A thick throw rug can make a dramatic difference on the temperature and provide your vehicle with a nice soft parking spot. By shopping at flea markets or discount stores, you can find rugs that are cheap enough to toss down in the garage. Even if the rugs do not cover the whole garage floor, they will make a difference in the temperatures.
If the fixes do not improve the temperatures in your garage, then you may have a sealing problem with the door or siding. Contact a company like DSI Door Services North Shore for more information.
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