Is Your Garage Ready to Make It Through the Winter?

Winter’s right around the corner – make sure you’re prepared when it comes to your garage prep!

You like these doors? They are Eastman E-21 models, 9' x 7', Ice White doors and overlays, 8 lite Orion windows

Preparing for winter means having easy access to specific things in your garage so you’re not caught flatfooted when the mercury plummets.

Not sure what you need to gather and stockpile? We’ll walk you through everything necessary in this blog.

First – Make Sure You’ve Got Your Storage Organized

Before you can start preparing for winter, you need to make sure that your underlying system is capable of handling the process – you must be able to sort, stack, and store things on the shelves in your garage. Good organization will save you time and hassle down the road.

For most of us, the garage is really only useful in the warmer months. When winter starts setting in, seasonal items – tools, equipment, and things that you need for lawn maintenance – need to be packed away.

Take time to put away your seasonal stuff, and then take inventory of what’s left over. Is there anything you no longer need? Accumulated junk that’s getting in the way? Consider recycling some of it, or donating it to charity.

What You’ll Need for the Winter

1. Do you have a snowblower?

If you live in an area where snow accumulation is a problem, a snowblower is a must. Make sure it’s prepped and in good condition. Change the oil, check the auger, check the sparkplug – you know the drill.

2. Check your snow shovels

A great example of stored shovels in the garage.

Are your snow shovels up to the task? Are the blades still reliable? The handles in good condition? Give them a once over to make sure they’ll be useful when the white stuff starts to fall. If not, replace them.

3. Can you handle ice?

Make sure that you have a bag of rock salt handy for deicing patios, walkways, driveways, and other areas. You should also consider adding a bag of sand or gravel to your wintertime arsenal to provide traction on icy surfaces.

4. Is your generator ready to go?

Wintertime often coincides with power outages, which can be dangerous in cold weather. Make sure your generator is in good working order. Change the oil and give it a tune-up. Make sure you have plenty of gas, too. As a note, never run your generator in the garage. The exhaust contains carbon monoxide, which can poison you, your family, and your pets if it enters the home. Carbon monoxide kills hundreds of people every year in North America, so be wise about your setup.

5. Do you have the tools to care for your car?

During the winter, you’ll need to take care of your cars correctly. Wintertime windshield washer fluid, snow brushes, ice scrapers – these are just some of the supplies you’ll need. You also need a set of jumper cables, particularly if you park outside.

6. Make sure you’ve got personal gear for you and the kids!

Neat ski equipment storage

It’s time to take all that winter gear out of storage and get it ready for use. Sleds and toboggans should be hung up and ready for fun. You’ll also want to make sure your ice hockey equipment’s unpacked and accessible. All of these things can be stored in the garage, but if you’re not sure how check out these 5 great tips for storing winter equipment from Nuvo Garage.

Your Garage Door: Is It Winter-Ready?

Prepare your garage door for winter just like you would your car!

Winter has no shortage of surprises in store for you.

First, it’s snow. Then comes the freezing rain. Maybe some sleet. The next day the sun’s shining and everything’s melting. Then, overnight, the temperature plummets to 5 degrees F (-15 degrees C), and your garage door’s weatherstripping is stuck in the ice.

When was the last time your garage door got a tune-up? Chances are good it’s overdue. Don’t wait until the worst happens to think about it.

It’s always better to be safe than sorry. A GARAGA dealer can help ensure that your garage door is ready for whatever winter might throw your way. Our tune-up includes a 26-point inspection, lubrication of all metal parts, and adjustments where necessary to ensure that your garage door system’s in top shape.

Is it time for a garage door checkup or some vital repairs?

Contact us now at 1-800-545-3667.

If the last few winters we experienced were any indication, this year’s is going to be challenging. We’ve seen just about any situation that can happen with garage door systems and can provide you with all the guidance necessary.

In addition to calling us, we can send you a quotation by email.

Thinking about replacing your garage door? Check out our Design Centre and start designing a custom door for your home. Not sure what’s possible? You can get some inspiration from our customer garage door gallery.

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