Keeping Water Out of Your Garage: A Professional Guide
According to recent surveys, around 63 percent of American homes have either a garage or carport. Let's localize that – around two-thirds of homes in Loveland have a garage door installation or a carport. That's a lot of garages!
As the area’s leading overhead door company, we speak to lots of people who unfortunately find themselves with unwanted water in their garage. This causes a whole load of problems – especially given the type of belongings and equipment we generally store in a garage.
But what causes water ingress into a garage? Let us tell you. This troubleshooting guide runs through a range of issues that could be causing you to have a damp garage. Recognize any of the issues, and need some help? Get in touch with us, as your local garage door repair and installation experts, today.
Problematic Plumbing
Do you have puddles of water forming in your garage? Are they along the same wall as, or suspiciously close to, your washing machine or a similar appliance?
If this is the case, it’s highly likely that problematic plumbing is causing you problems. And your overhead door installation isn’t to blame.
Washing machines and similar appliances will often be hooked up to pipework within your garage walls. If the washer itself, or the pipework, is faulty, this is going to cause you water-related issues.
Our advice – call a plumber!
Floor Cracking
Does moisture appear to be coming up through your floor? Are there small cracks in your garage floor, which appear to be the center of the water build-up?
If this is the case, your problem is cracks within your floor. Even small cracks can provide a route for water to come upwards into your building.
Our advice – dry the cracks out and fill them with a patching compound!
Surface Pitting
Do you have a relatively old concrete floor in your garage? Are there lots of little holes in said floor?
This is a phenomenon called surface pitting, and it’s where old concrete floors develop lots of small holes, or pits, in them.
The result? These holes fill with water, and cause you lots of issues!
Our advice – seal your whole floor with a silicone-based sealing product.
Joint Seams
Does the water appear to be coming in via a standard door, or a window?
This could be due to the fact your joint seams, owing to wear and tear, are no longer sealed properly. The result is that water is getting through these gaps when it rains or snows.
Our advice – check your garage wall seams and re-seal if needed.
Driveway Sloping
Is the water coming in from UNDER your garage door? Does your driveway slope down toward your garage? Or is your garage LOWER than your driveway?
The problem here is likely to be that your driveway is sloping down. So, when it rains, the water seeps down and towards your garage.
Similarly, if your garage is somehow lower down than the adjacent path, or driveway, it’s likely water will fall down and seep through your garage door installation.
Our advice – consider flattening your driveway, or at least install a French channel drain.
Tumble Drying
Does the water in your garage appear during, or shortly after, you have had your tumble dryer on?
These are magical appliances that save so much time and effort – but they can cause damp related issues in American homes.
Make sure your vent is working effectively and sending the hot, moist air outside. If it’s not, this air will have nowhere to go, and the water droplets (condensation) will settle inside your garage.
Our advice – as above, check your vents!
Dirty Guttering
Does water appear to be coming in from above your garage? Specifically, is it seeping through the top of your garage door installation?
As garage door sales experts, we often get contacted about this. But, believe it or not, it isn’t usually the door that’s at fault!
Whilst a faulty or cheap overhead door installation could be contributing towards the water getting in, it’s very often due to clogged up gutters.
If your guttering is full of moss, leaves and debris, the water will not drain properly, and will therefore spill over the front. The result? It’s going to get into your garage!
Our advice – clear your gutters, and consider a new door!
Door Problems
Do your garage water problems appear to happen after there’s been a storm or period of intense rain? Do you have a relatively old overhead door installation? Does the water appear to be near and around your garage door?
We’ve saved the most common garage damp issue ‘til last – door problems! If any of the above apply, it’s likely the weather stripping on your garage door has worn. This will ultimately let snow, ice and rain in.
Our advice – it may be time for a new door. Give us, as your local Loveland garage door sales experts, a call today. We can help!
Need Help?
We are the leading overhead door company in the Loveland area, and know a thing or two about garages. If you’re suffering from water ingress, and you suspect it could be door related, get in touch with our customer service team. They will be happy to help.
Our team of experts can also offer advice and guidance around other causes of water ingress into your garage – should you need it.