When the snow starts to fall and the outdoor temperature begins to drop, you’re unlikely to be in the mood to tidy up a chilly garage or deal with garage door issues. For a toastier, merrier winter season, get all your garage maintenance and cleaning tasks out of the way in fall. Here’s a succinct guide to winterizing your garage.

Get your garage door serviced

While there are many good reasons to have your garage door serviced regularly, a tune-up before winter rolls around is especially important. Indeed, having it unexpectedly fail is a major inconvenience at any time, but it can be particularly frustrating in winter. Thankfully, a garage door technician will be able to inspect your door, resolve any issues, and apply lubrication where needed.

If you’re handy and want to inspect your garage yourself, be sure to consult our blog, which has a wealth of DIY maintenance tips. For example, read our article about lubricating your garage door’s rollers and other moving parts.

Check the weather stripping

Weather stripping helps keep cold air out of your garage, not to mention dirt, debris, and insects. Over time, it gets brittle and cracked, and it should be repaired or replaced as soon as it no longer creates a perfect seal around your garage door. Before winter arrives and frosty winds start to blow, inspect your weather stripping for tears, breaks, and gaps.

Clean your garage door

Fall is a good time to clean your garage door, as it’s more difficult — not to mention much less pleasant — to scrub down your door in winter. Pick a nice day and give your garage door a good cleaning to get it looking great for the season ahead. Here’s a full rundown on how to effectively clean your garage door.

Check for air leaks around doors and windows

In the same way that you don’t want cold drafts seeping through the garage door itself, you also don’t want them slipping past the windows and other doors (including the door to your home). A simple way to check for air leaks around doors is to turn off the lights in your garage and see if there’s any light coming in around the edges. If light is peeking through anywhere, air will be coming through too. To check for air leaks on windows, slowly run your hand over the frame and feel for drafts or changes in temperature.

Air leaks around windows can be closed by applying fresh caulking. Alternatively, entire windows can be sealed with weather-proof plastic. For air leaks around doors, you may need to replace or repair its weather stripping. In some cases, you can also get away with caulking.

Tidy up inside your garage

As it can get pretty cold inside your garage in winter, now’s a good time to tidy up the space. Sweep all dirt and debris and clean any spills to spruce up your garage and prevent rodents from seeking seasonal accommodation.

It’s also the time to tuck away your warm-weather items (your lawn mower, gardening tools, golf clubs, and so on) and make room for all the stuff you’ll want easy access to in the winter (shovels, salt bags, skis, hockey gear, and so on). As you go along, take care to store your things in a neat and organized fashion (you’ll thank yourself when spring arrives).

Insulate the walls for extra warmth

If you don’t want your garage to get chilly this winter (for example, if you intend to use the space as a workshop or office), you may want to upgrade the quality of your insulation. Garage walls are often scantily insulated or entirely uninsulated. Beefing up your insulation for winter may prove a more cost-effective solution than running a unit heater into your garage.

And if you’re in the market for a new garage door, look for one that provides ample insulation. The key variable to consider is the R-value or U-value: these measure garage doors’ thermal efficiency. To learn more about garage door insulation, read our comprehensive article about R-value and U-value.

Winterize your garage with the help of Creative Door

If you need your garage door serviced by an experienced technician this fall, count on the team at Creative Door Services. We’re here to take care of all your garage door needs. Whether you require a repair or you’re looking to purchase a stylish and dependable door, we’re you’re one-stop for all garage-related matters. To schedule a service call, or to learn more about our products and services, reach out to us today.