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How to Keep Water Out of Your Garage

San Antonio may be known for its dry, hot weather, but come summer, thunderstorms don’t wait to strike. Unfortunately, the rainy weather can lead to some unwanted consequences, such as dealing with water inside your garage. Here’s how to keep water out of your garage and away from your belongings.

Determine the Location of the Leak

It can be frustrating finding water in your garage after a downpour. Water typically enters garages from one of two places: the ground or the roof. So the first thing you want to do is to determine the location of the leak. Check for leaking corners near your garage door and other parts. Once you know the leak’s location, you’ll be able to take the steps to fix it.

Repair Your Weatherstripping

Garage doors have weatherstripping, or garage seals, that extend the length of the door. When the door is closed, the seal presses tightly against the ground, keeping water and other debris out. Over time, the seal weakens. Bugs, rainwater, and debris can get inside the garage through a weakened seal. Replacing the original seal with a fresh rubber floor seal will prevent rainwater from getting inside your garage.

Fixing a Roof Leak

If the water pooling in your garage is coming from the roof, then installing gutters will be your best bet at ending the leak. Keep water out of the garage by installing gutters along the sides of the roof. From there, use downspout extensions to capture the water and direct it away from the garage door, to prevent it from soaking under your weatherstripping. Finally, add a french drain to collect the runoff water to keep it away from the house. For guttering to work, you will need to keep the gutters clean and free of debris or the leak will return.

How to Soak Up Water in the Garage

After you’ve discovered the source of the water in your garage, and managed to direct incoming water away, you’ll have to clean up. If the leak is minor, you can use towels to soak up the water in the garage. Next, clean the garage floor with a mixture of bleach and water to help prevent mildew from forming.

If the leak was severe, cleaning your belongings may be more complex. First, remove and unplug all electronics, and remove furniture and the rest of your belongings from the garage. Wash any clothes or other cloth items immediately. Dry all other items and if they are bleach-safe, wipe them down with a bleach-water solution to prevent mildew.

If you immediately tackle drying and cleaning your belongings after they’ve been wet, you will be able to minimize the water damage and not have to throw too many things away.

If your garage door is the source of the leak and you want to be sure you’ve waterproofed it as much as possible, get in touch with Hill Country Overhead Door. We can send a garage door repair specialist to ensure your belongings are protected from San Antonio’s biggest rainstorms.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]