JACKSONVILLE Blog

Prepare Your Jacksonville Garage for the Incoming Cold Fronts

Dropping temperatures mean higher energy bills, cold rooms, and chilly car seats - for the underprepared homeowner, that is. Instead of expecting the worst, get ahead of the cold nights and make sure your home is properly protected against the shifting temperatures. However, when it comes to preparing your home, one of the most overlooked areas is the garage. It’s crucial to have a plan in place to properly insulate, air seal, and maintain this space to improve comfort, safety, and savings.

4 Tips to Prepare Your Garage for Cold Weather

1 - Inner Mechanisms and Door

Many homeowners understand the importance of regularly checking the condition of the garage door and mechanics within the system. Cracks, gaps, weathering, and other system issues should be taken care of as you experience cooler temperatures throughout winter. Not only are you more likely to find better deals and service assistance should you need it, but it also gives you a head start against incoming weather that could quickly damage any fixes you’ve made.

After you’ve sealed problematic gaps and openings, make sure your mechanisms are well oiled, tightened, and running properly. While having an industry professional inspect your garage door can help you identify any significant damages or difficulties, most general maintenance can be done yourself. One of the worst issues to run into is the garage door locking up in the middle of an incoming thunderstorm or cold front!

2 - Exposed Pipes

If you have any pipes running through your garage, it’s important to ensure they’re properly insulated. A burst pipe can cause significant damage to the structure, plumbing, and property inside of the unit. While Jacksonville’s climate doesn’t necessarily pose a threat for frozen pipes, cracked or damaged lines are a considerable threat if left neglected.

If you’re unfamiliar with the types of pipes running through your garage, an industry professional can provide some insight into what type of insulation and how much material would provide the best protection. Randomly insulating them could do more harm than good - if you install too much, you could create a fire hazard, but applying too little won’t give enough preservation. With an insulation expert, a team can guide you on the proper material type and amount to apply around your garage.

3 - Air Leaks and Sealing

We touched on the importance of inspecting and sealing any gaps or openings in your garage. Updated air sealing can help improve indoor air quality and also prevent air pollutants and pests from entering your unit and subsequently your home. One of the most significant benefits of air sealing the garage and surrounding areas like crawl spaces and 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.

The good news is that air sealing general gaps and cracks is considered an easy job. You can choose to turn this into a DIY project or call in local insulation experts. However, it's possible for homeowners to miss smaller, hidden cracks throughout their homes that aren't as easy to find. Doors and windows are your common air leakage culprits, but there are other openings in your building envelope that can cause problems. Holes from pipes and wiring, foundation or wall damage, and hiding spots from insects and rodents are the most common undetected places that are contributing to air leakage, poor indoor air quality, and irregular temperatures.

4 - Insulation Material

Insulation is found throughout your home and garage, within the walls, ceilings, and even the floors if you have a raised home and a crawl space. Did you know that building code does not require the walls of a garage that are not adjacent to the living space to have insulation? Also, most if not all homes in the Jacksonville are have no insulation in the garage attic and up until recently most homes had uninsulated garage doors. As we spend more and more time in our homes those garages have become additional living spaces, offices, or gyms and may need insulation.  

Koala Insulation of Jacksonville provides free evaluations to send in an expert that will provide a breakdown of the current condition of your home's insulation. Our insulation technicians can give you information on poorly installed material, inadequate coverage, and any deterioration or damages. The evaluation also covers air sealing, taking care of two important steps within the winter preparation checklist.

Consult with Your Local Jacksonville Experts

Regardless of being a city constantly in the warmth of the Sunshine State, Jacksonville is an area that is heavily affected by the temperature shifts brought by winter. As such, it's crucial to make sure your property is well maintained and every space is accounted for. With free evaluations from Koala Insulation of Jacksonville, we provide a closer look at the current condition of your home's insulation, including the material and air sealing of your garage. Contact our team of industry experts today to learn more about the impact of your home’s insulation and schedule your free evaluation before the new year.