Your garage can be used for much more than just parking your car. The team at GarageDoorRepair.com has created the infographic below that lists ideas to transform your garage space for professional or recreational usage. Alternative garage space ideas include a greenhouse, office, sunroom, playroom or workout area.
In many homes, storage space is a major issue. People do not know where to put any of their belongings, and they wind up piling up all over the house. When you have a garage, storage does not have to be such a major concern. What are some ways you can make the garage more organized?
Creating Different Sections
Maybe the garage will look neat and organized no matter where you put items, but it’s going to be really hard to find them. Instead of having to pull everything apart to find one thing, divide the garage into sections. Have a section for gardening supplies, seasonal items, tools for cleaning the pool, bikes, etc. You will feel much more organized once this is accomplished!
Indoors vs. Outdoors
Sometimes, you wind up leaving items in the garage because you happen to pass by there first on your way into the house. Go through the entire garage, and figure out what really belongs there. A book collection or a set of kitchen utensils should go into the appropriate rooms. Once everything has been sorted out, you will have more space for items that actually belong outside in the garage.
Using Storage Bins
When you have storage bins, you can easily label all of the items in your garage. You won’t even have to open a lid to figure out what is inside. Another major benefit of storage bins is that they can be stacked on top of one another. In a spot where you were once only able to pile up one storage bin’s worth of tools and so forth, you can now fit three of them. Once everything is inside of the bin, grab a piece of duct tape, and use a permanent marker to label what is inside.
Installing Shelves
Putting shelves into the garage also helps to give it a sleek and clean appeal. Not only will you have more floor space, but the garage will look neater too. If you’re handy, you can probably install these shelves by yourself. Be certain they are sturdy though; you do not want them to fall on anyone’s head, thereby injuring the person and breaking all of the items resting upon it.
Making your garage look neat can certainly take some time; however, it is an endeavor that is worth taking. You’ll be very pleased with the way your new garage looks.
The opener for your garage door is a straightforward device that can often last upwards of 20 years. However, even if yours is still functioning properly, there are a number of reasons that you may want to consider replacing it.
If it Was Made Before 1993
It wasn’t until 1993 that garage door openers were required by law to come with safety reversal features. To achieve this, a pair of sensors are mounted about six inches from the floor on either side of the garage door. Should a pet, child or object get in the way of these sensors, the door will stop closing and reverse its movement. If your opener lacks this critical safety feature or if it’s no longer functioning the way it should, it should be replaced as soon as possible.
Minimize Noise
When your garage door opener is old or poorly maintained, the noise it makes can disturb your neighbors or the other people in your household. In cases like these, a replacement may be due. The most common type of garage door opener utilizes a chain drive, much like a bicycle, to open and close the door. However, these tend to become very loud with time. You may wish to consider replacing it with a either a belt-driven or screw-driven model. You may also find an updated chain-driven model to be quieter than your current one.
Improved Security
If you have an older model of opener, your home may be an ideal target for burglars. Remotes for these earlier models use a static code, which can be easily cracked by someone sitting outside of your home with a special device. It’s also not unheard of for one person’s remote to open many different garage doors. Such a security flaw gives thieves easy entryway into your home through your garage. These days, however, garage door openers come with a dynamic code that changes each time the remote is used, helping to prevent unauthorized entry.
Keyless Entry
Older models of garage door openers didn’t come with a keypad that could be installed on the outside of the garage. This convenient tool enables you to punch in a code in order to enter your garage, eliminating the need for keys that can be copied, lost or stolen. If you can’t install an aftermarket keypad for your opener, you may want to update it. Many new keypads don’t even require you to memorize a code and work instead by fingerprint recognition.
One of the main benefits of an aluminum garage door is that it does not require all of the maintenance that wooden doors require. While it is maintenance-free, that does not mean that it is resistant to dents. In fact, aluminum garage doors and even steel doors can dent rather easily if you even tap them with your car, your bike, or any other recreational vehicle. While it might be tempting to replace the door entirely, there are inexpensive ways to get rid of the dents. Read on and learn a dent removal technique that will save you not only money, but time as well.
Things You Will Need for the Project
Most of the tools you are going to need to make your garage door dent-free can be found around your home. Here is a checklist that you should review before you start the process:
- Medium-sized bucket
- Dish soap
- Outdoor hose
- Heavy-duty sponge
- High-grade aluminum foil
- Standard lighter
- Compressed air
If you do not have any of these items, make sure you take a trip to the store before you start. Not having what you will need will affect the project.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Use the bucket, fill it with water, and add dish soap. Thoroughly wash the dented area with a sponge and remove all of the dirt. Make sure the area and clean and dry before you move on.
- Unroll enough foil to cover the dent and to give you room to hold the foil at each end. Cut the piece of foil from the roll and keep it within reach.
- Make sure you have your lighter and your can of air handy. Lay the piece of aluminum foil flat and cover the dent. Keep the foil flat against the door with your hand near the corner and away from the dent.
- Pick up your lighter and move the lit flame back and forth over the dent for 60 seconds. Make sure you use a consistent motion so that the flame hits the aluminum foil wherever the stubborn dent is. Once you are done, remove the foil and hold your air can upside down. Spray the can while it is upside down over the dent for at least 30 seconds. You must hold the can upside down because the carbon dioxide in the can in the secret ingredient.
The aluminum will go back into place because of the drastic change in temperatures. Watch your dent pop back and disappear within two minutes.
As you can see, removing your garage door dent does not require any special skills or equipment. Try these steps and tackle the problem without spending any money.