Garages were once an untapped resource in most households, used for little more than dumping "stuff". But today, with savvy property owners looking to maximize every last square foot of space available, they're used for a lot more. From home gyms to workshops, the possibilities of this space are many, but there's often one factor that prevents a lot of these homeowners from realizing their vision – poor ventilation. When a garage is poorly ventilated, it usually results in uncomfortable conditions, particularly in the summer months.
Our Broomfield garage door service team specializes in repairs and installations, but in our line of work, we come across a whole range of garage space dilemmas. In this article, we're going to discuss the options you have to try and improve the ventilation in your garage space.
You've probably heard of ventilation being important in your home for numerous reasons. The same can be said for your garage space. Here's why good ventilation is important:
These tips range from the very simplistic and affordable to more involved projects. Just know that to see an improvement in garage ventilation, a big investment in something like a new garage door installation isn't always necessary.
Now I know this sounds simple. Too simple in fact. But it truly is a way to quickly improve the ventilation in a garage. In fact, if your garage doesn't have any windows, it's the obvious thing to do. You don't have to open it all the way. You can open the door just a little bit to let air in and ventilate the space. That way, you don't lose a whole lot of privacy.
If you're worried about issues you could have with pests when leaving the door open, there are special screens you can buy to ensure no nasties can make their way inside with the door ajar.
We're garage door installers, so while we can't help you with actually fitting new windows, we can speak about their benefits. Garages that don't have windows naturally experience much poorer ventilation than garages that do have them. Being able to open a window behind your workbench is the ideal scenario.
And here's a tip for you. If possible, try to have your window(s) installed on the wall opposite the garage door if it's possible to do so. That way, you will get a breeze that flows right through your garage and ventilates it extremely well. And if you're worried about privacy, frosted or tinted window glass can be purchased.
If you don't want to go as far as investing in new windows for your garage, vents can be an interesting alternative. Generally cheaper, they can still improve the ventilation immensely and are easier to have installed too.
People often worry about the impact they can have on the aesthetic of their home, and also about the fact that they maybe “help” to provide access to a number of unwanted intruders – burglars and pests.
In terms of aesthetics, if you have them strategically installed, they might not have much of an impact on the appearance of your home. And even if they are visible, you can choose a color that blends in well with the rest of your home's design. And with regards to potential security issues and pests, if you choose the right type of vent (such as turbine, box, or gable vents), this shouldn't be a problem, as they're designed to prevent these things.
This is something we'd only really recommend you look into if you spend a significant amount of time in your garage, as it won't be cheap. But installing an AC unit in your garage is one thing that will have a massive impact on the ventilation and air quality inside your garage.
But rather than extending the system you have inside your home, have a separate system installed. The problem with extending an existing system is that some of the contaminated air from the garage (which is likely home to your car, numerous chemicals etc.) could be passed to the interior of your home. Not good!
In addition to the tips we've just discussed, ensuring your garage is well insulated is a great way to ensure your garage is a comfortable place to be both in winter and in summer. Having a new garage door installation carried out or applying garage door insulation to an existing door is a great way to have a significant impact on this aspect of your garage, both of which we can help with.
If you'd like more information or want to arrange an appointment with a member of our garage door repair team, call (303) 920-2267.