Here in Britain, we are used to experiencing a long, icy winter (some would argue most of the year). Whilst the chilly months bring us great times such as Christmas and New Year, they also bring us some pretty nasty weather too.
You’re used to coming home and putting on the heating, but have you thought about the effect that the harsh weather conditions are having on your garage?
We’ve decided to put together a couple of tips detailing how you can prepare your garage for the winter. Believe us, these tips will come in handy.
Organise Your Garage
The first step to preparing your garage space for the harsh weather of winter is to give it a thorough clean and organise. You don’t want to be starting the season with a dirty, messy space.
As we’ve talked about previously, a clean garage is a clean mind so get scrubbing.
Cleaning the garage and sorting through your things is a great way to start the winter season as it will allow you to locate any damp areas or areas that need attention before they get worse in the cold. It will also allow you to see what you’re actually storing and will give you the chance to throw out any unwanted things.
If you don’t use it, you don’t need it.
Need some more tips on organising your garage? We’ve outlined a few tips here.
Swap Out The Contents
Continuing on from organising, it’s time to take a look at what you are storing in your garage.
Depending on what you are using the space for, you will likely be storing some sorts of tools and equipment. This can vary from lawnmowers to Christmas decorations. It’s always wise to streamline your garage’s contents to what you actually need at that time. If you have an attic or a shed, make use of them and give yourself some more room to breathe.
You should only be keeping things that you will need to access on a regular basis in the garage and anything else can be put into storage for now. However, if you use your garage space for storage, be sure to keep it tidy and make use of wall storage.
Fix Any Cracks
Most garages go through a lot of wear and tear over the years, and will likely have the scratches and cracks to go with it. This is normal and nothing to worry about, but it’s time to fill those holes before the cool winds hit.
When you’re cleaning through and organising your garage, you will likely spot any areas that need your attention and you can fill them using any type of sealer. It’s important to fill any cracks in the roof or walls, as they will be the first point of entry for moisture and freezing cold air.
Install A Heating System
This might sound obvious, but installing a heating system for your garage will go a long way in keeping the room temperature bearable.
Choosing the right kind of heating system will depend on the size of your garage and the amount of space you have to work with, but you don’t have to spend a fortune to keep warm. You can pick up a good-sized heater powerful enough to heat up the room for around £50, a worthwhile investment.
Having an effective heating system in place will help keep your garage at a regular temperature, saving it from cracking in the cold weather and keeping you from stepping into the North Pole whenever you enter the room. If you wanted to keep it on more of a budget however, we suggest a woolly hat and a pair of thick gloves.
Protect The Floor
Due to the cold conditions your garage will face within the next few months, it’s important to keep an eye on the floor.
The cold weather can leave your floor cracked, in a similar fashion to the roof or walls. Now we don’t want this, so let’s look at some ways of preventing it.
The easiest way of preventing this is to lay alternative flooring over your garage floor. You have multiple choices, ranging from PVC Tiles to Rubber to even Carpet, and they all have their pros and cons. Many of these flooring options also have the added benefit of extra insulation, which is always a positive when trying to stay warm.
If you’d like more information on choosing the right garage flooring for you, check out our previous article here.
Don’t fancy completely changing your garage floor? We suggest laying down blankets or cloth to help keep the ground at a reasonable temperature. This may sound like a silly idea, but it’ll stop you from having to spend money on crack fillers. Pair this technique along with a good heater and no holes in the wall and your floor should be just fine.
Invest In A DRS Premier Garage Door
Last but definitely not least; you should invest in a DRS Premier Garage Door.
Now we know this sounds biased, but installing a roller shutter garage door is one of the most effective ways of protecting your garage and it’s contents. Let us tell you about a couple of the benefits.
Roller shutter garage doors are made from heavy duty, twin wall, CFC free foam filled aluminium profiles. By using foam in the profiles, this provides additional strength to the door and goes a long way in reducing heat loss. This is ideal when it comes to the colder months.
They also come with a heavy-duty extruded aluminium bottom profile with a deep rubber seal, providing extra strength and helping keep adverse weather conditions at bay.
To top it all off, the two brush strips in the guide section provides safety and security against high winds, something that will definitely come in handy.
Summary
And that’s it for our tips. How you prepare for the winter all depends on what you use your garage for and the condition you keep it in, but these tips will come in handy.
Let us know if you have any more tips of your own and be sure to keep warm this winter.