Weather Stripping your Garage

Weather stripping is an effective way of creating a weatherproof seal around your Utah garage door. The stripping, when applied correctly, has many benefits. It will keep insects and pests from creeping in through cracks between the garage and the flooring areas. It will also keep dust and dirt from collecting around the door area. It will also keep the garage temperature easier to maintain, saving money on any heating or cooling costs.

Weather stripping a garage can be a big job to take on. Utah garage door repair professionals can recommend the best method of weather stripping for your specific type of garage door. There are various stripping methods including flap top seals, PVC stop molding and bubble seals. If these are not installed correctly they may not seal the garage.

Homeowners want to have a secure and clean garage for many reasons. It is inconvenient and can be expensive to spray and get rid of insects every season. So many people choose to store food storage products and other items in their garage. These products are susceptible to damage without weather stripping.

If you are looking into creating a greener household, cost efficient cooling methods and safer storage areas for your food products consider weather stripping. It is a small investment that can help you to keep your garage temperate and clean.

Make your Garage Safe for Pets

A garage can be an unsafe environment for pets. Cats and dogs can be exposed to risks in the garage area if the proper precautions are not taken. It is important to know the common garage dangers to pets and how to get rid of them to keep your pets safe and healthy.

Garages are often used as kennel type areas for dogs. But, this can be extremely dangerous when temperatures rise or fall. Garages may not have the ability to stay warm or to cool like the rest of the home. These temperatures can cause health risks or even death to animals.

Chemicals and other poisonous materials often stored in the garage are very dangerous to pets. These chemicals include fertilizer, cement and other building materials, gasoline, rat poison and many more. These can be deadly if ingested and some can create fumes that are harmful when a Utah Garage Door area is not ventilated well.

Houseplants and cleaning products can also be poisonous to pets. Many times these products are stored in the garage on short shelves. These items must be stored out of reach of animals to ensure that they will not be ingested.

A garage is not a recommended area for any pets unless the area is cleaned and maintained with a pet in mind. Proper ventilation and temperature controlled areas must be created if a pet is kenneled in the garage.

Install Proper Garage Lighting

Lighting in a garage is important. A garage with stored tools and other objects can be dangerous in the dark. Even in the daytime a garage without proper lighting can be dark and hard to get around in. There are several types of lighting additions that can be easily installed into a garage. These will help to keep the area well lit and safe.

The type of lighting fixtures and sources that you choose to install in your garage should be dependant on how you use your garage. If you fix your automobiles or do crafts in your garage you may want more light. If you simply want to be able to see better and also need better Utah Garage Door ventilation, you may want to consider windows.

Fluorescent lighting can provide an area with a brightness that is worthy of any garage project. These bulbs can be dangerous if they are dropped or broken. You may consider assistance from an electrician to properly install these types of bulbs.

Windows offer natural light that will brighten a garage in the daytime. Windows will also work double duty by helping to ventilate the space in the summer months. Windows will not offer light in the evening and an additional source of light will need to be added.

Many people use the garage as a home office area. If you have a designated area in your garage for an office you will want to consider softer lighting than that of fluorescent lights. You can find bulbs and fixtures that will offer direct light into the area that you work in most. These fixtures will also be more energy efficient than full overhead lighting.

Tips to Save Money on Cooling

The temperatures are going to start to grow quickly in the Salt Lake County and Utah County areas in the next couple of months. There are several ways to save money on cooling expenses throughout the summer months for your home and your garage.

Utah garage door repair professionals can help assist you with the recommendations for keeping your garage cool, while other experts can execute specific cooling projects for your home.

Tip 1: Raise the temperature on your thermostat. You should raise the temperature on your thermostat to at least 80 degrees. Keeping your house 5 degrees warmer than usual can save you up to 8% on your electricity bill.

Tip 2: Install a Ceiling Fan in your Home: A ceiling fan can help cool air to properly move through the home. Be sure that your fan is spinning the right direction to move air down instead of upwards for the best cooling effect.

Tip 3: Close your heat registers in rooms that you do not use often. If you have central air this will save you a bundle. Also, close the doors to those areas to keep warm air out of other highly used areas.

Tip 4: Add ventilation fans to the garage. This will help your garage to stay cooler than the outside temperature, instead of hotter. Hot temperatures in garages can destroy food and other stored items.

Tip 5: Clean your AC filter yearly. This will help to save energy costs if a filter is not working efficiently.

There are, of course, many more solutions to save money on cooling. These are just a few that we find to work well and not take much effort. Do you have other tips? Let us know!

Keep Mold Out of your Garage

It is easier to prevent mold from growing in your home or in your garage than it is to get rid of existing mold. If you are currently building or remodeling a home or adding a garage, the tools and techniques that you use could help with the overall prevention of mold.

Many of the traditional materials that are used for building a garage will actually promote mold growth. These include wood. Other materials such as metal studs and aluminum and vinyl coated doors will decrease the chance of mold growth. They will reduce mold growth because they are not porous substances and will also prevent wood eating mites that are found to coincide with mold in many areas.

Adding a small window into a garage can also help with mold prevention. Utah garage door repair experts can recommend window sizes and types that work well in specific regions. Sunlight can really make a difference in the growth of mold by decreasing the presence of dusky and damp areas.

Ventilation systems and fans will also promote air circulation. Mold does not grow well in well-lit and well-ventilated areas. Fans installed in the roof by a professional will offer both improved light and improved ventilation. With only a few small upgrades or adjustments, you can be proactive at keeping mold away.

Some Ways to Keep your Garage Ventilated

It is important to be able to ventilate your garage. For starters, Utah garage doors and garage areas can become very hot in the summer months. Temperatures inside of a garage can reach over 120 degrees. This can ruin food items and other stored items that should only be stored in moderate temperatures. It can also be very uncomfortable to get into a car that is in a hot garage.

Another reason to ventilate your garage well is to reduce the danger of chemical fumes. Fumes from an automobile may settle and stay in a garage that does not have appropriate air circulation. This is extremely worrying for families with children that play in or around the garage.

There are many methods to keeping a garage properly ventilated. If you have a window or a door in your garage a free-standing fan will work well. But, you will not want to leave the fan turned on without supervision. Running a fan for at least 2 hours a day in the summer will help the air to flow freely in the area.

Fans can also be installed in a garage by a professional. An installed fan system will create a permanent solution for ventilation that can be used year round to bring fresh air into the area. An experienced garage door expert will be able to recommend the best type of fan for your specific garage.

Keep your Garage Cool in the Summer

Does your garage feel like an oven or even a sauna in the summer months? A high temperature can be dangerous if you are storing paint, gas or other chemicals in the space. It can also cause damage to other items that are stored in the area as well such as food storage items. There are some proven methods that you canĀ  use to get the temperature down.

Cars, when driven in the summer heat, can get very hot. The brake rotors alone can rise up to 250 degrees in minutes. When a car that has been driven in the sun is parked inside of an enclosed space, the space fills with the heat. When you come home from even a short drive, park your car outside of the garage until it cools properly.

Garage insulation, when installed properly, can help to keep the garage cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. There are some varieties that will only keep the garage hotter in the winter and therefore boiling hot in the summer. You can get recommendations on the best insulation types from Utah garage door repair specialists who are experienced in Utah weather and garage insulation varieties.

Ventilation fans are used in many garages with expensive automobiles and stored items. Professionals must install these fans to be sure that they are able to move air properly. If this is out of your budget, you can find a plug-in ventilation fan, open the garage at least 6 inches from the ground and run the fan for one to two hours per day.

Teach Children the Dangers of Garage Doors

Every year garage doors are the cause of injuries and even deaths of children. Teaching your children about the dangers of Utah garage doors can easily prevent these accidents from occurring. Even if you are careful to watch your children around your own garage door, they must understand the dangers. They may not be supervised around a garage door owned by neighbors, friends or relatives.

First, children should be taught that garage door remotes and openers are not toys. A child should not be allowed to open and close the garage. Even if a garage door has safety sensors, they can malfunction and cause severe injuries to people, pets and automobiles. It is recommended that garage door buttons be installed out of reach of children.

Second, a child should not be allowed to play in the garage or around the garage door. If your child plays in the driveway regularly, they should be instructed to move away from the door if it is opened or closed.

Third, Children should never be allowed to touch the garage. Garage doors can pinch and hurt fingers and hands.

In addition to teaching children about garage door dangers, proper maintenance is important to reduce injuries caused by the doors. You can inspect your cables and rollers easily every month to insure that they are in proper working order.

Garage Door Safety

Garage doors are one of the conveniences of modern living. But, they can pose a danger to pets, childrens and adults. Many of the dangers of Utah garage doors can be prevented with proper maintenance and regular check ups. Here are some garage door safety tips:

If you have young children you should not let them play in or around the garage without supervision. If the garage door button is low enough that the young child can reach it, you may want to block the area or have the button moved higher by a garage door professional.

Do not leave your garage door partially open. This can result in safety hazards for children, pets or other animals. In addition to stray animals being able to come in and out of your garage, the garage door can be unpredictable when left partially open. The sensors can become over sensitive or dirty as well.

If you have a garage door with panelling, be sure to never place your hands in the slatted areas. These can cause severe damage if a finger or hand becomes caught in between a panel. Children especially should not be allowed to play around or place their hands on a garage door of this style.

With regular maintenance, many mechanical garage door issues that could cause danger can be prevented. You can check the coils and the rollers for any debris or rust. Many professionals are also available for quick maintenance checks in the spring and summer months.

How to Keep a Garage Floor Clean and Dry

If you live in an area with a four-season climate, you know how difficult it can be to keep your Utah garage door and floor clean. Melted snow and ice can create muddy puddles and salt build up that are difficult to remove. They can ruin your concrete floor in time and create hazards for walking around the area. We have some tips to help you to keep the area cleaner and drier.

Install a dividing strip: A dividing strip that runs between the inside and the outside of the garage will help to keep rain and snow from coming in from the outside in a storm or when snow-blowing the driveway. These can be installed quite easily. The materials can be purchased at most home improvement stores.

Use mats for snow shovels and snow blowers: These materials can create puddles inside of the garage. If you brush off as much snow as you can from them before placing them in the garage and then setting them on rubber mats you will greatly reduce any moisture they may bring in the area.

Have a mop and bucket on hand: There is not much you can do about your car bringing in slush and snow that will later melt onto the garage floor. But, you can mop it up after it has melted onto the floor. Having a mop and bucket handy, will ensure that you can quickly remove the mess.

Your garage will never be spotless in the winter months, but keeping it as clean as possible will help reduce wear on the floor. It will also make it much easier to deep clean when spring arrives.