The beautiful days of spring are finally here, which means it’s time to tackle your garage maintenance checklist before the heat of summer makes working outside unbearable. If you’re someone who has been using your garage as an on-site personal storage space, you may need to do some cleaning before you start working through the garage maintenance checklist. In order to get a good look at problem areas in your garage, work through the interior and exterior separately.
Interior Garage Maintenance Checklist
- Look for Pest Infestations. Your garage attracts a variety of pests. Spring storms can drive mice and rats from the garage into your home, while mild winters encourage ant and termite populations. Look for droppings in corners, behind shelves and in cabinets. Chewed boxes and furniture also indicate a potential rodent problem. Check the same areas for sawdust and piles of wood shavings as these often reveal a problem with termites and carpenter ants.
- Inspect the Floor. The floor of your garage is a slip and fall hazard waiting to happen. Leaking chemicals or auto fluids, combined with smooth concrete, turns your floor into a surface slicker than ice. Add cracks in the floor and you have a potential recipe disaster.Take the time to inspect your garage floor. Clean the concrete with soap and water to eliminate slippery substances and fill cracks in the concrete before they become a bigger problem.
- Test Your Door. Dirt and debris that clogs the operating mechanism of your garage door causes a loss of efficiency, while the hot Texas summer wreaks havoc on rubber seals. Use a leaf blower or wet-dry vac to clean out the interior door mechanisms. Examine the door as it closes to make sure the rubber seal on the bottom is tight against the ground. Also make sure to clear dust and debris from your safety sensors so your door doesn’t close on a child or your car’s front end.
Exterior Garage Maintenance Checklist
- Walk The Walls. Damage to the exterior walls of your garage compounds problems on the inside. Cracks allow water into the garage, causing mold and structural damage. Look for cracks at least a quarter inch wide or that are directly in line with water damage on the inside of the building. Repair these cracks immediately to prevent further damage.
- Examine the Foundation. Hot summers are devastating for the foundations of Texas homes, especially around the garage. As the ground shifts, it can pull away from the walls of your garage and allow the foundation to move. With a level, walk to different parts of your garage to check for sloping. Noticeable differences in elevation are a cause for concern and must be addressed by a professional contractor. If you have foundation issues, you may want to adopt a foundation watering program to help prevent further damage.
- Clean the Gutters. Dirty gutters lead to drainage problems, especially during intense spring showers. A quick cleaning can save you hundreds of dollars on a repair or replacement. Use a leaf blower to remove loose leaves and minor debris. If the gutter has too much debris or the debris sticks to the sides of the gutter, it’s safer to clean the area by hand.
By performing your garage maintenance checklist in the spring, you can avoid stifling afternoons doing the work in the summer. If you take your time and be thorough with your cleaning, you won’t have to touch your garage maintenance checklist again until next year.
Looking for more ways to organize your home this spring? Download our complete Spring Cleaning Checklist.
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