Did you know that your garage is more vulnerable to flood damage than other portions of your home? Study these tips to prevent flooding in your garage.
Flood water in your garage poses a threat not only to your vehicle and other stored items but also to the structure of the garage, including its walls and floor. On top of that, if you fail to act on time, the moisture can lead to mold growth, which can destroy your belongings and cause allergic reactions and other health issues. To avoid such problems, follow these tips to prevent flooding in the garage:
Landscaping Your Yard
If the surrounding ground level is directing water toward your home, your garage will remain the target of floods, and any preventive actions you take will be largely ineffective. Call a professional landscaper to inspect your yard and manage the ground so that water is directed away from your home.
Fixing the Cracks in Your Foundation
Tiny cracks in the foundation of your home provide enough space for water to leak and wreak havoc in your garage. If you don’t detect and fix them earlier on, these cracks get wider over time. Inspect the entire foundation and seal the cracks with waterproof paint or vinyl concrete patches.
Clearing the Gutters
Again, all other preventive actions can fail if your gutters are not properly designed to dispose of any precipitation landing on the roof or aren’t regularly inspected for blockages and clogs. In such cases, water will leak to the ground and eventually end up in your garage.
Therefore, you must ensure that your gutters are in working order at all times so that water from rain or melting snow can’t find its way into your garage.
Weatherstripping
If there are gaps between the door and the floor, water will easily enter your garage from the bottom. If your existing weatherstripping is worn or cracked, consider using The Storm Shield Garage Door Threshold, which prevents water, snow, leaves dust, and dirt from entering the garage from below.
Using Sandbags and Flood Barriers
If you don’t have much time before the storm hits your area, sandbags and other flood barriers can serve as a quick fix. They can be stacked to form a temporary dam to block water from entering the garage. They may also be lined to direct water to an exit point.
However, using sandbags is not a permanent solution. However, they can be used while you come up with a permanent fix.
Installing Vents
While the tips discussed above should effectively keep water at bay, there has to be a way to drain it out in the event that it does enter your garage. One great technique is to install vents in the garage that makes the draining process faster and easier.
