By the time you read this, chances are good that the kids in your area will be back in school. This is the time of the year when we all get back into our ‘routines’. Summer has now officially ended with this past Monday being Labor Day and our attention is slowly shifting from playful warm outdoor activities to the Fall season. I would argue that fall is the best season in the Northeast and New England. In fact, it’s my favorite time.
Fall is the time when the leaves begin turning, the nights get a little cooler which means leaving the windows open to let in some of that awesome cool, dry air which is great for sleeping, as well as other things. Outdoor activities are just a little more comfortable and I surely don’t mind throwing on a sweatshirt or hoodie for long walks with the dog down by the river. I’m looking forward to apple picking, the Adirondack Balloon Festival, and hot cider donuts to name a few.
I am also going to be knocking off my list of “To-Do’s” that I so cleverly overlooked this summer. Tightening the shudders on the house, getting that last coat of touch up paint on the house where needed, and general household organization is what’s in order for me. You see, now is the time I empty the garage to make room for the car. As in summers past my garage becomes a kind of a catch all for camping gear, tools, beach toys, fishing stuff and all sorts of things I want to get my hands on at a moment’s notice in the warmer months. Leaving the car in the driveway is perfectly fine in Spring and Summer but I, for one, do not enjoy cleaning the snow of the car. That’s right, I said it, snow. We both know it’s coming, no way to stop it other than to move to a warmer climate which I still refuse to do.
Now I am most certainly biased being that I work for Overhead Door™ but I also do one of my three garage door inspections now too. Once I have the garage all cleaned out I run the door a few times and listen for new, not normal, sounds and just give it a good visual once-over. The last part of the inspection includes a quick view of the seals that are around my door opening and the seal on the bottom panel where it makes contact with my garage floor.
These are often overlooked and really shouldn’t be. Your garage door seals should keep the outside elements out. After this quick visible inspection I will close the door and get the hose and spray it on full blast all around the edges and bottom. Then I will open the door to see if any water got in. Spraying a hose on your door is not something that Mother Nature really can duplicate but I figure if it’s watertight this way then snow, I said the S-word again, can’t get into my garage either. If it turns out to be leaking I can easily identify where the leak is (‘cause it’ll be wet) and make the appropriate repairs.
Your door is probably the biggest moving object in your home unless you have an elevator for some reason and, if so, good for you what time is dinner? Anywho, keeping the snow out of your garage and especially from under it is pretty important. Getting a buildup of snow or ice under your door can do more harm than just keep it from closing properly. The best way to insure this is to simply hose it down and while you’re at it grab some warm soapy water and give it a nice cleaning too. (providing your door is not made of wood)
If you find your door seals are worn or cracked and it seems like the job may be just too big we can certainly handle the job for you.
So, get ready for fall, open those windows and let the fresh air in, eat an apple off a tree, get a hot cider donut, and get a bagger for your lawn mower.