2020 has brought extremes in many different areas. The COVID-19 pandemic has shaken our Nation, the upcoming election brings turmoil for those worried about what the future holds, and significant weather patterns add to the chaos. While most Georgians do not typically see major weather catastrophes, that does not mean that weather does not affect us. Although we fall in the southern portion of the US, in 2020 alone, we have experienced snow, record rainfall, high winds, high humidity, and high temperatures – and the year isn’t over yet.
Once inside your home, you tend to feel isolated from the outdoors. If your air conditioning unit is working well, you feel cool on hot days. If your heating unit is working correctly, you feel warm on cold days. As long as your doors and windows are properly sealed, the weather stays outside, and you are protected. These are the blessings of having a home to enjoy and feel safe in. Yet, it is important to remember that your garage is an extension of your home. You need to remember that all of the elements that you want to enjoy inside your home you also want to extend to your garage. Of course, you do not have to install an AC unit or heating unit to your garage, but you do want to make sure that your garage is well insulated.
Heat, cold, water, wind, and bugs can creep in through the smallest cracks. Most of the time, people tend to not worry about things unless they become pressing problems. We all have enough to deal with on a regular basis without adding to the daily stress, right? Well, while it is completely understandable to concentrate on those things that need attention, it is also beneficial to take a few added measures to prevent problems from arising. As Benjamin Franklin is famous for saying, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
One of the simplest and most inexpensive solutions against weather damaging your garage is installing weather strips. Garage doors come with a bottom seal to keep out unwanted nuisances, but the seals can wear out over time. In some cases, the concrete floor or driveway can create gaps under the door that a standard seal cannot close, or the garage door may not be well insulated or have a full perimeter weatherstripping to seal out elements. Installing weather strips will allow you to seal up your garage door to keep out weather and increase your interior comfort level.
Installing weather strips provides a way to protect the interior of your garage from flooding while also improving the overall insulation of your home. During the hot, humid months in Georgia, weather strips will keep cool air inside your garage. Throughout the year, weather strips will keep rain and water out of your garage, while also stabilizing your home’s internal temperature. When you seal the gaps around your garage door, you will be able to save as much as 10-15% on your energy bill.
Another benefit of using weatherstripping is that it will protect your garage door. Properly installed weather strips around the bottom of the garage door will prevent the garage door from scraping against the concrete. Weather strips can help prevent premature wear of both the garage door and floor. Compared to the long-term cost of repairing your garage door or concrete floor, the cost of installing or replacing weatherstripping is extremely low.
At HABPRO Garage Doors, we understand that the condition of the area surrounding your garage door has a significant impact on its reliability. If you would like to know if weather strips would help keep the weather outside your home, contact us today. Our garage door experts can give you a full inspection and offer our professional opinion.
Jeanie S.