A warm, well-insulated garage will provide you usable workspace all year round, even when the outside temperatures drop to frightening lows. But even if you're not planning to spend much time in the shop this winter, there's still good reason to winterize your garage: you could save yourself money and hassle later.A garage that gets too cold can damage not only to your car but also to the equipment you're storing there. "Water will freeze, no matter where it is. So if you have a power washer that still has water in the pump or lines, it can freeze and crack," says Joe Sainz, application specialist for Robert Bosch Tool Corp. The same is true of fuel gels, which can "gel up" (freeze) inside combustion engines, and even paint, which will separate and ruin if allowed to freeze, Sainz says.Winterize your garage as early as possible.Weatherstripping creates a seal between the garage door and garage door opening. ".If you feel air seeping into the garage, Witek says, remove the existing weatherstripping and scrape off any remaining sealant.
"A pry bar and flat scraper or putty knife will make the process much easier," he says. The cleaner and smoother you can make the surface, the easier it will be to install the new weatherstripping, and the better it will seal.Once the old weather stripping is removed, you can begin measuring to apply the new one. To align the weatherstripping, Witek says you'll need to close the garage door and then align the weather stripping so that the rubber flap flattens slightly against the door. "This will ensure a good seal and easy operation of the garage door," he says.However, while it's not hard to purchase fiberglass batt insulation, installing it correctly is another story, Sainz says. "mon mistakes include failure to securely fasten the batt insulation, not supporting it, or cutting it too long or short for the location. "Insulation needs to have a snug fit, but it can't be jammed in too tightly," he says.Witek says there is a variety of products available to insulate garage doors, including specifically designed kits.
"Insulation options include foam board, reflective barriers, and fiberglass batt insulation," he says.Regardless which option you choose, Witek says the insulation will need to be cut to fill the garage door panels, then secured with adhesive to make sure it stays put. "Some garage doors will not have recessed panels that make for an easy insulation project," he says.Struggling to insulate the door, or still feeling the cold even after putting it in? In some cases, Witek says, the best option may be to replace the door with a modern, insulated design.Weatherstripping and insulation will help to protect your garage from extreme winter weather, but on their own, they're not going to keep the garage toasty warm for you. Unit heaters are a great way to heat a garage with minimal space requirements and construction costs, Witek says.First, choose between a gas or electric heater. Gas-fired units are usually cheaper to operate but are more difficult to install because they require a gas supply and exhaust venting, Witek says.
"And electric models are easier to install, but are more costly to operate than gas-fired models." This makes electric unit heaters a great option in areas with mild winters or where you only need heat occasionally, he says.Another, more efficient electric option worth considering is a mini-split heat pump. "This type of unit will provide efficient year-round heating and cooling to the garage with only a 3-inch hole through an exterior wall required for installation," Witek says.If you can't afford or don't have time to do every one of these things before winter, start with one. When it comes to winterizing your garage, every little bit helps.How much should a garage door spring replacement cost? Here's the video I used - I found it pretty helpful: Garage door spring replacements cost me less than $100 by doing it myself and only took me about 25 minutes. As far as I know, changing out the garage door springs will solve most issues. I found at kit online at a place called garage door nation and just bought that one since they seemed the most legit and included all the extras.
I am usually not good with these types of things. I saved almost $500 by doing it myself.Clopay garage doors vs. raynor garage doorsRead 2 Answers?When should I replace garage door springs Assuming you are talking rollup garage door - issues similar but not as many parts on a tilt-up door. Many rollup doors in residential use go 30 years or more on original springs. Generally, they do not need to be replaced till they break. A broken one should be pretty obvious - the door will open very hard because it is being pulled up more at one side than the other, if at all, and one spring will be wound tight while the other will be looser, and usually the break is a visibly obvious one - either a visible break in the main portion of the spring, or the free end that goes into the end plate is broken off. Compare the springs against each other to see they look the same. Also, if you think a spring is broken but can't see anything wrong, maybe the set screws that hold the end plates tight onthe axle have vibrated loose, relaxing the tension on the spring.
As the door gets older you may need to have a garage door repairman adjust the spring tension tighter if the door starts opening hard or balking at opening, though that is more often a problem with dirty slider track and bearings from dust accumulation, which you can clean with WD40 and then lubricate the side support rollers with motor oil or household oilcan. On lubrication of the slider track there are differences of opinion - some say clean with a non-oily solvent like brake cleaner and leave it clean and ddry so dust does not stick to it, other say oil with a light household oil or WD40. I prefer the latter so the plastic slider does not get worn out sliding on the metal slider track or pole, though it definitely does accumulate an oily dust grunge. The cleaning and lubricating should be done at least yearly - every 3-6 months if you use the door multiple times a day, more often if you are in a real dusty area like the Dust Bowl, the desert, or close to the beach.Can the metal weatherstrip at the bottom of my garage door be replaced or do the panels have to be replaced also?