Though you might not spend as much time in your garage as you do in the rest of your house, it is still a place that should be protected and secure. Last week in our Garage Door Maintenance in Buford GA blog, you read about how to keep unwanted guests out of your garage and, by extension, your house. This week, we’ll focus on a different kind of guest: wildlife. While we certainly have nothing against animals, a garage is a place we would simply prefer to keep them out of.
What Do They Want With Me?
Depending on how often you open your garage door and how long you leave it open, there can be many opportunities for animals who may be lurking just outside to enter. Especially in the colder months, garages appear to be inviting areas that offer a refuge from colder outdoor temperatures. Your kids might think it would be fun to have a new pet in the garage, but you know better. Once animals get into your garage, more than likely they will eventually figure out a way to get into your house.
What Should I Do?
Keep your garage clean. Some people are very particular about the organization of their garage, while others see it as a storage area that doesn’t necessarily need to be orderly. Either way, more things in your garage means more small spaces for bugs, rodents, or other animals to hide in. Consider purchasing some shelves for whatever you keep in the garage – having it off the floor will make it harder for animals to access and it will make cleaning the floor much easier.
Prevent insects from getting in. While we don’t have to deal with as many bugs in the winter getting through your garage doors in Marietta, GA, the spring, summer, and fall tell a different story. Consider protecting the entrance of your garage with some sort of pesticide or insecticide. Remember, once these bugs get into your garage, they are one step closer to entering your house. Something else to keep in mind – don’t ignore any holes you see when the garage door is closed. Remember, bugs are much smaller than you think!
Think about what you keep in your garage. Is your garage where you store your trash? To many animals, open garage doors in Marietta, GA are gateways to trash, otherwise known as a free meal. Do you have clothes that could easily be chewed apart by moths or other creatures? What about other items that wouldn’t do well if animal droppings were to end up on them? While you may not have experienced any of these yourselves, they are real problems for some people.
Prevent problems from occurring in the first place. The most important step in keeping pests and other wildlife out of your garage is to be aware of your surroundings. Are they already there? Have you been ignoring the small but significant pieces of evidence they leave behind? If not, lucky for you. Still, it can’t hurt to take the appropriate precautions to secure your garage, and by extension your house, from future invasions.
Why Bother?
We have all heard horror stories (probably more often about things other than animal infestations in garages) and thought “that will never happen to me.” It may be true that you will not have any unwanted creatures entering your garage anytime soon. But taking the appropriate precautions to prevent such invasions can only save you from major headaches later down the road. After all, no matter where you live (whether it be in middle of the city or on the outskirts of town), you still have to share your surroundings with whatever creatures decide to live there.
Spend a little time protecting your home and garage doors in Marietta, Georgia. We’re sure you’ll be happier for it. In the meantime, if you’re ready for a new garage door, don’t hesitate to give us a call!