How to Get Your Minnesota Garage Ready for Winter

Whether we like it or not, winter is coming. In Minnesota, winter can be an unrelenting, six-month season of sub-freezing temperatures, heavy snowfall, and harsh winds. Once the gorgeous falls leaves have fallen, it’s time to start getting our homes ready for winter. But one element of your home that is often neglected as the season turns is your garage.

In Minnesota, our garages are hugely valuable resources when it comes to winter storage. A garage provides us with a dry and semi-warm car the morning of a frigid day, as well as a dry and semi-warm place to keep many of the household items you use during different parts of the year.  However, without the proper maintenance and upkeep, your garage may be less dry and less warm than usual.

To give you some tips on keeping your garage in tip-top shape before winter arrives, we wanted to put together this quick checklist to get your ready for the season.

Install or Replace Weatherstripping

The first step to keeping your garage warm is to prevent cold air from coming into your garage. A nice place to start is your garage door.  Weatherstripping is a seal between the garage door and garage door opening. It attaches to the bottom of your garage door so that moisture and cold drafts are kept from entering your garage.

 

There’s a few different types of weatherstripping. Some are made from a brush-like material, others an elastic rubber material. If you already have weatherstripping on your garage door but you can feel cold air entering your garage, it might be time to replace your weatherstripping.

Insulate Your Garage

Many Minnesota garages, especially in older homes, are made of wood and don’t have much in the way of insulation. While these older garages will keep your stuff dry during the winter, it won’t be much warmer in there than it is outside. If you want to enjoy a warm car during the winter, or want your garage to be warm enough to use a garage workbench, insulating your garage is an excellent idea.

To go about insulating your garage, there are a few different material types you can go with, including:

  • Batt (Fiberglass Cotton)
  • Foamboard
  • Spray Foam
  • Cellulose

Many garage insulation projects can be done by yourself without too much trouble.

Lubricate the Tracks, Springs, Rollers & Hinges

Winter is the worst time for your garage door to go out on you. Before winter arrives, you should make sure that your garage door is all fixed up. Lubricate the metal tracks, springs, rollers, and hinges that your door uses to open. These parts all need to be lubricated a few times a year. Think about how many times you open your garage during a given year? That’s a lot of wear and tear on the parts. Lubricating them will keep your garage running smoothly, and avoid having to repair or replace your garage door during the harsh winter season.

Seal Interior and Exterior Cracks

Throughout the year, cracks can open up both on the exterior and interior of your garage, which can lead to moisture and cold air entering your garage. Before winter sets in, you’ll want to get these cracks patched up. Walk the entire exterior of your garage and inspect for cracks. Do the same on the inside of your garage. Common areas that can use some attention on the interior of your garage are windows and electrical units.

Trust Harkraft for Your Garage Storage

By installing or replacing your weatherstripping, insulating your garage, lubricating the parts to your garage door, and sealing interior and exterior cracks, you’ll be able to enjoy a warm garage this winter. If you’re looking to boost your garage storage in addition to getting your garage ready for winter, then take a look at some of the garage storage solutions we offer.