As winter takes its full form soon, the harsh, unforgiving cold spells continue to grow longer and have adverse effects on surroundings. We as people shield ourselves from the cold by wearing appropriate clothing and ensure we are confined within the warm walls of our house at night when it is most unpleasant.
In that aspect, many household items and tools share that very same vulnerability against the cold, and appropriate steps must be taken to ensure to shield them if they are to function efficiently.
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The garage is the best storage facility during the winter as it is spacious and adequately protects everything inside from frost damage. Below are some listed ways to prepare your garage for the upcoming winter.
1. Reorganize your items
Your first move in preparation for the winter should be asserting your garage items. Given the cold season, some tools will have a higher priority than others, and hence should be kept at an easier to reach the place.
Rakes, lawnmowers and other gardening tools should be stowed away in the back as they will have little use. Likewise, shovels and other such tools that help against snow should be kept at a reachable area.
Ensure that your snow blower is up and running, and is at an accessible place. Vessels that hold fluids should be kept in a place with proper heating.
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2. Keep the garage warm
Keeping your garage warm is an absolute must, as its entire purpose is to protect things from getting too cold. Its best to install a heating unit that can keep the garage uniformly warm, and you have the added option of adjusting the temperature to whatever suits the current need.
Even if it is economically not feasible to install a heating unit, you can still keep the garage adequately warm but sufficiently insulating it.
Add weather stripping to doors and windows to keep the cold air out, and be sure to insulate pipes. For the car, a warm car cover will protect the engine from getting too cold.
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3. Keep the garage dry
During winter, there is a great risk of ice melting into water and seeping into the garage. This can create a hazardous situation where a person can easily slip.
A way to remedy this would be using a garage floor mat. This mat will not help in keeping the floor from being slippery but also provide a smooth dry surface.
Additionally, seal away any cracks and openings using expanding foam as this will also prevent pests and other unwanted stuff from creeping into your garage. Use seals on door gaps as well.
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4. Have the door ready
When the weather gets very cold, things tend to get stuck up. It is vital for you to check if your garage door is working smoothly. Remember, if the door gets stuck, you cannot get anything out. Use lubricants to keep the door swinging up smoothly, and apply to strip to prevent gaps from getting filled.
5. Keep the outdoor clear
While you can easily maintain the inside of the garage, it is the outside area that creates problems, i.e., your driveway.
Ensure that the sidewalk is cleared properly, and an alternate path to a drop zone, so that you do not track mud, snow, etc. all across the house or garage.
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6. Keep your winter tools at an arm’s reach
At the peak of the cold, harsh winter spells, you will need your good tools and utilities to battle your way through the cold.
The most space efficient way to do this is using your wall space to set up a wall rack to hang all your winter tools or other items that you would use in the cold, i.e., skis
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