PEARLAND Blog

Sealing Your Garage For A Better Environment in Southeastern Texas

Your garage may be a space used for storage and parking your car, or it could be another extension of your frequently used living space. Regardless of how you use the unit, this is an area in your home that needs to be regularly inspected for air leaks, damages, and poor insulation. In order to keep your home more comfortable and reduce wasted energy, here’s what you need to look out for in your garage. 

5 Areas In Your Garage To Regularly Update

1. The Garage Door

It’s important to regularly check the condition of both your garage door and the mechanics within the system. With winter falling behind us, cracks, gaps, weathering, and other system issues may become more apparent. You’re more likely to find better deals and service assistance while also getting a head start on your Spring Cleaning list for home improvement projects.

Once you’ve had problematic gaps and openings around the door sealed, turn your attention to the mechanisms. They should be well-oiled, tightened, and running properly. While some general maintenance can be done by savvy homeowners, it’s a good idea to have an industry professional inspecting the area to identify any significant damages or difficulties. One of the worst issues to run into is the garage door locking up in the middle of an incoming thunderstorm or cold front!w

1. Exposed Pipes

When you have exposed pipes running through your garage, it's critical to make sure they're properly insulated. If something goes wrong from improperly insulated piping, it can cause significant damage to the structure, plumbing, and furniture inside the building. While overheating is much more likely to happen than bursting in southeastern Texas, pipes can still crack and damage after the winter chill is passed.

It’s important to have someone that’s familiar with the types of pipes running through your garage. An industry professional can provide insight into what type of insulation you need and how much material can provide the best protection. If you essentially randomly insulate the pipes, you could be doing more harm than good; installing too much creates a fire hazard while applying too little won’t give enough preservation. Your local insulation team can guide you on the proper material and amount to install throughout these areas in your garage.

1. Smaller Air Leaks

We briefly mentioned earlier how important it is to inspect and seal gaps or openings along the garage door but it's just as important around the rest of the area. Reducing air leaks helps to improve your indoor air quality while preventing air pollutants and pests from entering your unit and subsequently your home. But one of the most significant benefits of air sealing a garage and other areas, like crawl spaces or the attic, is the ability to retain desired heat. According to Energy Star, about 90% of U.S. homes have poor air sealing and insulation because of infrequent maintenance and deterioration. 

Here’s the good news: air sealing most gaps and cracks is considered an easy job. You can even turn some of this effort into a DIY project! However, it’s possible for homeowners to miss small, hidden cracks that they may consider insignificant at first glance. The most common areas for air leaks will be around your doors and windows but there are a number of other openings throughout your building envelope that can cause problems. Holes around pipes and wiring, damage in your foundation or walls, and hiding spots from previous infestations are also commonly undetected places that contribute to air leakage, poor indoor air quality, and irregular temperatures. 

1. Hidden & Exposed Insulation

Insulation is found in many places around your home and garage: within the walls, on the ceiling, and even in between floor joists. Evaluating the material throughout the garage is even more crucial if it's below another room or the attic. Removing deteriorated material and replacing it with updated material helps not only improve the temperature regulation of your home but also adds certain benefits like noise reduction and moisture resistance. 

At Koala Insulation of Pearland, we provide free evaluations, sending in experts that provide a detailed breakdown of the current condition of your home's insulation. Our industry technicians provide information on poorly installed material, inadequate coverage, and any potential deterioration or damage. Our evaluations also cover air sealing, which takes care of two important steps within your checklist!

1. Flooring

Finally, another place that's commonly overlooked is the floor and crawl spaces in and around your garage. This is an exceptionally important place to consider if you store vehicles and large equipment inside at any time of the year. In northern areas, sealing is done to prevent salt damage throughout the winter but even in southeastern Texas, it's an effective insulation practice. 

The first step is to prepare the space beforehand. Make sure the floor is clean, free of debris and dust, and move large items out of the way. Once you have a majority of the space cleared, you can apply a product like epoxy to seal the flooring and provide a barrier between the surface and your equipment. Sealing the floor isn’t necessarily a required step for the winter but it’s a great option at any time of year if you’re continuously bringing vehicles and equipment in and out of the space. 

Keep Your Southeastern Texas Space Safe and Comfortable

There are many places around your home that need to have well-placed and regularly updated insulation and air sealing. Your garage is just one of the many areas you may be overlooking too often!  It’s crucial to have a plan in place to properly insulate, air seal, and maintain this space to improve comfort, safety, and savings. Contact Koala Insulation of Pearland today to schedule your free evaluation and learn about more areas in your home that need adequate insulation and air sealing.