The garage is often a neglected part of the house. It’s used as storage, not just for the family’s vehicles but other items as well that people no longer use regularly yet can’t throw away.
Parking in the garage is a convenient way to keep your car out of the weather, but it’s important to make sure the garage is ready for parking before you start using it. Here are some tips for making sure your garage can handle the extra weight of your car.
Make Sure Your Garage Has Enough Headroom For Parking
When you park in a standard-sized two-car garage, there should be enough headroom (height) so that both cars fit comfortably without scraping their bumpers together or hitting against overhead beams if they’re parked nose-in. If there isn’t enough space for this arrangement, then one or more walls may need to be removed and rebuilt with an addition of full height between them and insulation added to prevent condensation and mold.
If your garage is only used for parking, then it’s important to keep the ceiling clear of any obstructions, such as water pipes and heating ducts that would be dangerous if they fell. Any item stored above head height should be securely fixed in place or attached with cleats so that it can’t fall onto a vehicle underneath.
Insulate the Space for All-Around Comfort
A garage that’s going to be used for parking a car in winter should have insulation installed. Insulated roof panels would be ideal, but if there’s insufficient headroom for this, then thick strips of insulation should be fitted to the walls.
Insulating the space will help prevent condensation and mold growth on exposed surfaces, such as wooden studs and rafters, within the garage if it’s not well ventilated. If these conditions occur due to poor ventilation, then they may need professional treatment before you can use the garage again because of their potential for causing illness.
Make Sure Your Garage Floor Is Suitable
Parking on a concrete surface is practical because it’s easy to maintain, but if it isn’t sealed, then the moisture often absorbed by concrete will rise up into your car as vapor.
A floor that’s only covered with paint or an epoxy coating over bare concrete is likely to be spongy and soft underfoot, which may cause tires on some vehicles to deflate after parking on them for an extended period of time so this type of floor should not be used.
Concrete floors must either have a layer of bitumen sealer applied before parking takes place. If you’re using the garage for additional purposes such as maintenance, then it may be practical to lay wooden boards or tiles over one of these surfaces, but you should check with your garage’s manufacturer before doing so.
Make Sure the Door is Wide Enough for the Vehicle
Before you park in your garage regularly, test how wide your car door opens by trying to drive through it. If the opening width isn’t enough, then consider buying a new wider door; if that’s not possible, then you can buy adjustable hydraulic extenders that will push out either side of the door vertically to increase its width.
A garage typically has walls on both sides and an overhead beam running across at about head height (for most people), which means there are three posts holding the roof structure. A garage door has a metal beam running along the top that runs into each post, usually one on either side and also the overhead beam. If you’re parking a vehicle with an overhang at the front or back, then this should be within these three posts so there isn’t any risk of damage to other vehicles parked alongside.
Add More Storage
If your garage is only used for parking and you want to use it as a workshop or storage area as well, then make sure you have enough free wall space to fit the other items in. You can either set aside one or more walls for storage purposes or decide whether any other vehicle needs to be parked outside the garage.
Making sure your garage is ready for regular use will ensure that your car gets all of the protection and convenience it deserves; making sure the garage floor doesn’t absorb moisture; that there are no obstructions in the ceiling that would cause damage if they fell; and making sure the garage is wide enough for your car. Your garage should be given more attention because it is an important part of the house, too.
