Beware of a leaky garage during winter

Garages tend to have many leaks affiliated with them throughout all of the seasons, but these problems make themselves more apparent during the winter.

Many people don’t put as much attention into their garages as they do the rest of their homes. For instance, it is common that garages are insulated less than the main house. Items that need fixing are also often left longer before being repaired, whether it is a cracked window or a draft emanating between the garage door and the side wall. Don’t let upkeep and repairs of the garage slide. Just because your guests don’t spend time in your garage during the winter doesn’t mean you should leave it be.

Consider the tips below for keeping your garage leak free:

Cracks are only the beginning
Many garages are made out of concrete, which is porous. This not a problem in the summer like it is in the winter. Sure, you expect your garage to be colder than the rest of your home during the winter season, but small holes in the walls lead to bigger concerns.

When it begins snowing heavily, or ice gets its grip on the side of your garage, these small holes will become problematic. When the ice starts to melt, water will seep into the wall. This doesn’t always result in puddles in your garage, but it means the integrity of your walls are at risk. A little bit of moisture can turn into mold, which can grow and deteriorate the inside of the wall. When it comes to making sure drafts are sealed from your garage and small holes in the walls are filled, don’t mess around.

You can seal up your walls if you feel there is a problem. Patch them with cement or have the walls coated with waterproof materials before the snow and ice settle.

Lack of insulation can cause a leaky roof
When your garage roof is poorly insulated, whatever heat is in your garage will rise up through the ceiling. Having no heat in your garage is not a good idea, as the harsh weather will not be good for your vehicles or appliances that you keep in there. Without an insulated roof, your heat will escape through it and melt the snow that settles on top. This melting snow will cause ice damming to occur on the roof and trap snow from melting.

Ice damming is a buildup of ice that melted because of the rising heat, but the temperature outside has frozen the melted water again before it can drip from the roof. This will cause additional water to push beneath the shingles of your roof and work its way in. If this water gets through in large amounts you will see noticeable damage to your garage. But even if the leak is contained within the roof, this can still be a huge problem as it can lead to mold growth.

Make sure your garage is sealed and ready for winter.

For more information on leak prevention in your garage, reach out to American Leak Detection today.