Why You Should Clean Out Your Garage Before Winter
Deep cleaning happens year-round, not just in the spring. Before winter, you should prepare your home against all sorts of weather hazards, whether they’re a threat to you or your home. Your garage might become a safety hazard if it isn’t properly sealed and shielded from the winter weather, but you could also run into several other issues that need your action.
A clean garage means that you’ll notice quickly when something is amiss. Suppose your garage is filled with clutter and boxes from when you moved. In that case, you won’t be able to see if pests invade your space or where a pesky draft is coming from. Cleaning out your garage is the first step to preparing your home for winter.
5 Reasons You Should Tidy Your Garage Today
Your garage likely connects to your home. In this case, your garage serves as one of the lines of defense between your house and the outside world. Take care of your garage, and it will shield your home from the cold and its detrimental effects. To properly take care of your garage, you should keep it tidy.
1. Find Items You Need
One of the benefits of tidying up your garage is that you may come across items you forgot you even had. Finding clothing can be helpful when winter is fast approaching, especially if they’re long-sleeved, fleece or some other thick material that can repel the cold. You might rediscover old winter favorites, but there may be others you may not have missed. In that case, you can donate clothes you won’t wear again to keep someone else warm throughout the season.
2. Make Space for Cars
If you don’t have much room in your garage, you may not have room for your cars. In warmer weather, cars can last well outside, but they may not be so lucky in the winter.
Cold temperatures can affect your vehicle in a plethora of ways. In 0ºF, you’ll find that your car only cranks half as well as it does in spring and summer weather. Keeping your vehicle out of the cold can help it last longer and save you time on commutes, as you won’t have to scrape ice off of the windshield in the mornings.
To make space for the cars in your garage, consider examining storage options. You can create shelving units higher on your garage walls to house collectibles or clutter that take up space on your garage floor. Open shelving may be the right choice if you want to display memorabilia or need to find a place for larger things with no proper home, like tires or other tools.
3. Learn About Problems
Is your garage as energy efficient as it should be? Check along the seal to make sure none of the weather stripping has fallen off or rotted. Fewer places for heat to escape means that your garage can stay warmer, and heat won’t slip out of the central part of your house.
Without storage and clutter in the way, you can see if your garage door has problems closing. Sometimes, garage doors won’t close if something is around a sensor. Clearing the area will give you a chance to see if the door still acts up while nothing is around it. Similarly, you should check for issues with your flooring that could lead to a slip or another injury. You won’t be able to examine the details if your garage is too cluttered.
4. Identify Potential Pests
You may find pests like rodents or insects planning to make a home out of your warm garage for the winter so they don’t have to brave the cold without adequate shelter. Some of these creatures can do a number on your home, though.
Termites cause about $5 billion in damage collectively to homes each year. It’s crucial to discover any infestations you have and deal with them promptly before they grow or use up more of your resources during the winter.
5. Create a Spot for Activities
While most hobbies are done inside the home, you can imagine needing to take a few outside. Garages are the perfect place to practice your louder or more spacious hobbies in a temperature-controlled environment.
For example, you may want to set up a bench and take up leatherworking. The garage would be a fantastic place for that sort of hands-on activity, but you won’t have the room for it unless you clear your garage of all the boxes and cobwebs.
Help Your Garage, Help Your Home
Going through your garage can be an event for the whole family. You can rediscover old items that have fond memories connected to them, and you might find several things you want to donate. Cleaning doesn’t have to be boring — you can ensure everyone has a good time while clearing out old items.
Consider tackling the most critical parts of securing your garage’s safety as soon as you’ve moved everything out. Look for signs of pests or drafts and make plans to fix the problems as quickly as possible. Once you have your garage in working order again, you’ll be able to use it as an extension of your home rather than a storage container.
Watch our Facebook Live Show every Wednesday at 12p.m. est. Elite Realty Group 423-307-8566 Licensed in TN Equal Housing Opportunity
*article by @james white!
The Elkins Home Selling Team with Elite Realty Group provides services with Morristown TN Real Estate For Sale and Morristown TN Homes For Sale to home buyers and home sellers in Morristown Tennessee, Whitesburg, Talbott, Russellville, Sevierville, Bean Station, Dandridge, Pigeon Forge and surrounding communities.
We specialize in working with Home Sellers in getting their homes listed and sold. We utilize the latest and most up to date marketing materials in assuring the job gets done quickly and with the least amount of hassle. Our homes are listed on over 32 different Real Estate web sites including realtor.com, yahoo.com, trulia.com and many others. Each office independently owned and operated.
Elite Realty Group is a full service real estate company serving Morristown TN Real Estate For Sale, Jefferson City TN Real Estate For Sale, Talbott TN Real Estate For Sale, Russellville TN Real Estate For Sale, Grainger Co TN Real Estate For Sale, Dandridge TN Homes For Sale, Cherokee Lake TN Homes For Sale and Douglas Lake TN Homes For Sale.
Comments(8)