A garage is like a room in your home. So, the same thing that keeps water from entering your rooms should also keep it from entering your garage. The dream of having a beautiful garage will turn into an expensive nightmare if you don’t take preventive measures. Bob’s Advance Garage Doors have put together this list of ways to avoid this. You can find us for garage door repair in Atlanta and garage door repair in Marietta.
Water can damage your property and put your belongings at risk. To keep your garage dry, you need to understand how water enters, so you can take the appropriate steps to prevent it.
Water enters a garage through two main areas: doors and windows. The door is an easy fix — just replace the weather stripping and adjust the springs. Windows are trickier, but several options for keeping water out of your garage.
Trench Drain
You need to install a trench drain if you have a flat driveway. This will prevent water from collecting in front of your garage door and flooding the floor inside. The trench drain should be installed at least 2 feet from the garage door and sloped toward it so that any water that enters is directed into the drainpipe. You can also install gutters on either driveway side for added protection and drainage.
Grading Beside the Driveway
The ground beside your garage door should be graded away from it as much as possible to prevent standing water from pooling up against it when it rains or snows heavily. If possible, have this area graded every year before spring planting season begins so that plants do not grow up against your garage door and cause damage over time.
Door and Floor Seal
The door seal is the first line of defense against water damage. This seal will keep the rainwater out of your garage, but it must be properly installed. The door should have weather stripping around it that prevents moisture from entering through cracks and crevices on its bottom side. You can also install a threshold with an overlap that prevents rainwater from entering the house through the front door.
Guttering
If you have gutters on your roof, they must be cleaned regularly, so they do not overflow during heavy rains and cause water damage inside the house through leaks in walls or windowsills. Make sure rain gutters are free of leaves and other debris so they do not clog up when heavy rainfall or snow is melting near them in springtime, which can lead to water damage inside your home!
Soil Grade
One of the ways to prevent water from entering your garage is by grading the soil around the building. This ensures that there are no low spots that can collect water. You should also ensure no slopes in front of or behind your garage where water can accumulate easily.
Replace the Weather Stripping
Another step that will help prevent water from entering your garage is replacing old weather stripping around windows and doors with new ones. Old weather stripping may not provide adequate protection against moisture or insects, so it’s best to replace them with new ones as soon as possible. You can find these at home improvement stores or online.
Install Sandbag Barriers
If you live near the ocean or another body of water, then sandbags are one way to prevent flood damage during storms or high tides. You can install plastic barriers around the perimeter of your garage door, but sandbags are easier to use and less expensive than plastic barriers. Use sandbags around all four sides of your garage door opening, with at least two bags on each side for extra protection.
Install Flood Vents
Flood vents allow water trapped inside a building to escape without damaging its structure or contents by overflowing onto the flooring surface below. If there is nowhere for this water to drain except into your garage, installing flood vents on every floor is an excellent way to keep water out of your garage and protect its contents from flooding damage caused by rising flood waters.
Inspect the Foundation
If your home has a concrete slab foundation, it’s important to inspect it regularly for cracks and other damage. If you notice any cracks or openings in your foundation, call a professional garage door repair in Atlanta to seal them up before they become too big to repair.
Install French Drains
French drains are pipes that drain water away from foundations, preventing moisture from entering inside homes. These drains are installed outside of houses and then drop down into basements and crawlspaces through holes drilled in walls or floors. This allows water to flow out of a home instead of collecting around its foundation.
Bob’s Advance Garage Doors
If you’re starting to see water in your garage, you may need to take some preventative measures quickly. You could install a french drain to redirect water away from your home, but water damage can happen before you notice the problem. Instead of waiting for an emergency, taking preventative steps like checking your gutters and ensuring your garage door is properly sealed, and the weather stripping is in good shape is better.
