Tips To Protect Your Garage From Flooding

A flooded garage causes a whole lot of mess (and even more stress). There are some ways to help protect both your garage and its contents, from damaging flood waters. Avoiding a flooded garage can be made easy by follow some simple steps.

Install A Threshold Seal Or Flood Barrier

A flood barrier is a lot like the bottom seal of your garage door, but it lasts longer and is much sturdier when it comes to blocking flood water that is trying to push its way into your garage.

Inspect The Door For Holes Or Cracks

If you notice any holes or cracks around the door, you need to fill and fix them right away. If you are short on time, purchase a can of spray foam insulation at your nearest hardware store and fill the holes. Although this solution can help in a time-sensitive situation, it’s best to have a local specialist inspect and repair your door.

Install An Aluminum Track

If your door didn’t come equipped with an aluminum track or it is badly damaged and needs to be replaced, you can install one to fasten the bottom seal of your garage door to provide more support against potential flood water.

Install Weather Seals Or Weather Stripping

Weather seals are installed all around your garage door to prevent water from seeping into your garage. You can purchase a weatherstripping kit and do it yourself or call an expert to install it for you.

Clear Debris Before Or After Flood Damage

Oftentimes something as simple as a small tree limb can prevent your garage door from closing all the way. Inspect the area around your garage door and remove anything that could be in the way.

Repair Or Replace The Trim

The trim around the typical garage door is made of wood and with time and exposure to the elements, can crack and even rot. If you notice damaged trim around your garage door, give your trusted technician a call to repair or replace it.

Check The Sensor

If your garage door sensor is blocked by debris, it will not fully close. Inspect to see if anything is covering up the sensor. If nothing is blocking it, or the sensor light is still on or is blinking, give your local garage door specialist a call to repair or replace the faulty sensor.

Clean The Track And Rollers

Debris caught in your garage door tracks and rollers can prevent the garage door from shutting completely, allowing water to enter your garage. Thoroughly clean the tracks and rollers, then apply a light coat of non-silicon-based lubricant to the tracks.

Adjust Your Opener Settings

If your garage door won’t shut all the way, the answer might be as simple as adjusting the settings of your opener. Although some experienced hands-on homeowners can tackle this task, it is best left up to the professionals to ensure the job is done correctly and nothing else is damaged in the process.

Realign Your Garage Door

Your garage door needs to be realigned every few years to make sure it continues to move up and down properly. Schedule an appointment with a professional to make sure your garage door closes the way it should before the next big storm.

Prevent Flooding With Flood Vents

Avoiding a flooded garage can be done by installing flood vents will help direct excess water to a drainage system rather than allowing it to accumulate inside your garage.

Apply Waterproof Paint

While most objects can be easily replaced after water damage, that isn’t necessarily the case for your walls and garage floor. Although applying waterproof paint won’t keep flood water out of your garage, it can prevent it from destroying the wood and metal components.

Replace Your Garage Door

If your worn-out garage door has seen better days and is beyond repair, it might be time to consider replacing it. Although upfront costs can be a little daunting, it is a much better option than pouring your money into a run-down garage door or having to replace all of the contents inside your garage that have been damaged by floodwater.