If you’ve been calling Roseville home for a while, you know firsthand how our winters can get a bit soggy. Admittedly, the weather’s fantastic for the rest of the year, boasting less than the average national rainfall (we’re at 24 inches compared to the nation’s 36). But here’s the kicker – most of that rainfall loves to make an appearance in January and February. With climate change stirring things up, all that rain can turn your garage into a potential swimming pool. It leaves your garage and its door in a bit of a rough spot despite the fact this isn’t really an extreme weather condition.
Here are 5 tips to protect your garage, home and doors against flood waters.
1. Replace Your Garage Door Bottom Seal.
Your garage door bottom seal keeps out rain, animals, and nasty weather. Overtime, it wears away from friction and exposure. This leaves your garage open to flooding. For about $50 in weather stripping, you can replace your garage door bottom seal with a fairly simple DIY repair in a couple of hours. If you’re not comfortable with this DIY repair, you can contact a professional garage door repair team for it. They’ll be happy to help you with this for a small fee. If you’re curious they will likely be happy to give you a quote for this quick repair over the phone.
2. Improve Your Home’s Drainage.
Clogged street gutters and drains can leave your garage vulnerable to flooding. Make sure the drainage around your property is well positioned. You should have French drains installed in front of your garage door, as well as along the driveway, to protect against not only flooding your garage, but the integrity of your foundation.
3. Inspect and Repair Foundation Cracks.
Cracks in your foundation can cause water in heavy rains to seep into your garage. Minor cracks can be patched with waterproof paint or a vinyl concrete patch. Larger cracks may require foundation repair from a professional.
4. Lay Out Sandbags and Other Barriers.
During serious storms that may cause low level flooding, set out sandbags or other barriers to redirect the water away from the garage. It’s a good idea to line them up along the outside of the garage in a pyramid shaped wall. Avoid building a fortress, however, as this can backfire, causing water to build up and cause additional damage. While sandbags won’t provide a perfect seal, they will reduce how much water gets into your garage.
5. Keep Your Garage and its Door in Good Repair.
Make sure your garage door itself doesn’t have any cracks or leaks. If it does, you might consider replacing the garage door outright. If the floor of your garage has started cracking, you should repair that immediately. Cracks in the concrete can expand going under the garage door and making your seals completely worthless. Repair concrete early to prevent damage to not just your floor but your whole garage.