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Home Improvement Projects for Winter
photo of suburban home with snow on drive way, lawn, plants, trees and roof
Winter is upon us and if you’re like most people, you’ve been spending a lot of time indoors lately. Winter is the best time of year to sit on the couch, watch a movie or read a book, and cuddle up in a blanket for hours. But it is also a great time to work on your house and make some home improvements.
Here are some easy projects you might want to tackle during this winter:
- Paint interior walls
Winter is great to embark on a new painting project. The best part about this is that you don’t need a professional painter for this, as it can be a fun DIY project. You can repaint all the rooms in your house or focus on one area to give your home a burst of life during this icy period. Make sure to use an eco-friendly, low-VOC paint that does not release toxic fumes.
- Replace flooring
Replacing flooring is a great winter project because it can increase the comfort of your home dramatically. You can install new carpet, tile, or wood flooring. You can have it professionally installed or simply make it a DIY project. But remember to open windows to allow fumes to escape during the process.
- Replace your non-insulated garage door with an insulated one
The garage door is part of your home and is the largest entrance point. While it has many benefits, the garage can also be a source of heat loss. How insulated your garage door is can greatly impact your home’s energy efficiency. Insulated garage doors are energy-efficient, quieter, stronger, more durable, decrease the utility bills, and make your home more eco-friendly. But keep in mind this is one project you can’t DIY. Contact a certified garage door installation Pittsburgh specialist to complete this project for you.
- Declutter
Winter is the best time to declutter and organize the stuff you wish to keep. Decluttering a house is a strenuous task, hence it would be wise not to attempt to tackle the entire home at once, but rather devote time on one part or space in your home at a time. Decluttering is all about starting small and going slow.
- Give your bathroom some love
When it comes to deep cleaning, we often overlook the bathroom. Winter offers a great opportunity to do a thorough bathroom inspection and make the needed changes. Updates such as repainting the bathroom, swapping out that dated shower curtain, or replacing a faucet are fun and relatively easy projects.
Winter is a great time to relax, but it can also be the perfect time to work on home projects that not only beautify your home, but also add value. If you’re considering replacing your garage door or simply need some maintenance, call the garage door installation Pittsburgh specialists at Thomas V. Giel Garage Doors, Inc. at 724.502.2394
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How to Protect Your Garage in Winter
Cold weather is fast approaching, bringing in the winter months with it. When the weather starts to turn cold, it is a good indication that it is now time for you to begin winterizing your home. One way that you can help cut down on your home’s heating costs during the winter is with a well-insulated garage. If your garage is too cold, you risk damage to your vehicles and anything else that you store inside your garage. The best way to prevent expensive repairs from accruing later on, is to winterize your garage ahead of time. Here are a few things you can do to protect your garage before winter sets in which will prevent you from needing to invest in a new garage door installation Pittsburgh come spring.
Replace Weather Stripping
One of the easiest things you can do is to start by replacing the weather stripping on your garage door. This will create a seal between the garage door and the garage door opening, keeping cold air from coming in. When cold air is allowed to find its way inside your garage, it will create cold drafts that cause the temperature inside your garage to drop dramatically.
To install new weather stripping, start by removing the old weather stripping and remaining sealant. Use a putty knife or scraper of some sort to remove as much of the old weather stripping as possible. Cleaning the surface as much as possible will make it easier for the new weather stripping to be installed. Once you have the surface cleaned and prepared for the new weather stripping, be sure to measure before you begin to install anything. You’ll want to make sure that you don’t have too much rubber sticking to the sides, where it could possibly interfere with the garage door track. Close the garage door and align the weather stripping so the rubber flap flattens slightly against the door. A good seal on your door allows the garage door to operate easier.
Insulate the Garage Walls
Another way to insulate your garage to prepare it for winter is to insulate your exterior garage walls. You can purchase fiberglass batt insulation fairly cheaply at any home improvement store. You can simply tack it into place on the walls of your garage. You’ll want to check to see that you have the right insulation thickness to ensure that you provide your garage with plenty of insulation against the cold. Failure to install the insulation securely to the wall or forgetting to provide extra support for the insulation can result in problems. In order for insulation to work properly, you’ll need to ensure that it has a snug fit and completely covers your wall.
Repair Garage Door
If your garage door is old or broken and is the source for the cold air getting into your garage, you might want to consider replacing it before the really cold weather arrives. At Thomas V. Giel Garage Doors, we provide garage door installation Pittsburgh, along with repairing and replacing broken panels and other parts. A garage door that is properly repaired or replaced can work to eliminate cold air from finding its way inside. Often, replacing an old or broken door with a new, insulated door is the best option for homeowners.
Heat the Garage
Another great way to ensure that your garage stays warm throughout the winter is to install a heater unit after you’ve completed all the other necessary precautions. Heaters will not only protect your garage from getting too cold, but they will also protect your vehicle and other belongings from the low temperatures. Keep in mind, it is important to be careful when using a heater, as heaters pose a risk of personal injury or potential house fires if not handled properly.
As you can see, your garage plays an important role in keeping your home warm during the cold winter months. If you are considering replacing or repairing your garage door before the cold sets in, contact Thomas V. Giel Garage Doors today!
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Why Shouldn’t Homeowners Attempt Garage Door Repairs Themselves?
As a homeowner, and self-proclaimed handyman, you may want to save money by attempting to complete all the home repairs yourself. This is great for many necessary home repairs, but there is one repair that you should not attempt on your own—the garage door. Garage doors can pose a serious threat to your own safety as well as the safety of family members, pets, or vehicles. There are numerous dangers that are associated with garage door repairs that should be left to garage door installation Pittsburgh professionals. Here are a few reasons why you shouldn’t attempt garage door repairs yourself.
Experience
When it comes to working on or repairing garage doors, knowledge and experience are crucial. One of the most common problems that arise when homeowners attempt to repair garage door problems themselves, is that they inadvertently make the problem worse. As with most things, when the problem is worse it requires more time and money to correct.
Save yourself some time, money, and hassle by hiring a professional and knowledgeable garage door repair technician to fix the problem from the get-go. Not only will they be able to quickly diagnose the issue, but they will also be able to provide you with options on repairs to ensure you get the repair that is right for you and your budget.
Right Tools
It is also important that you have the right tools. Most garage door repairs require the use of unique tools that most homeowners do not have lying around. This is because most homeowners won’t have the need for garage door specific tools to complete other projects around the home. Therefore, purchasing the tools probably won’t be worth the investment.
A professional garage door technician will have all the necessary tools needed to repair any garage door-related issues you might encounter. Not only will they have all the tools necessary, but they will also know how to use them correctly.
Avoid Accidents
You can’t predict everything that is going to happen while performing garage door repairs, but there are three accidents that are the most common during DIY repairs. The three most common accidents include:
- Falls: Garage door repairs require you to work on stools or a ladder. While it is essential to be high up in order to perform the repairs, you are at an increased risk of falling as well. Falling means that you could injure yourself or someone else. You also run the risk of damaging any equipment that you are using during the time of the fall or any that happens to be nearby.
- Springs: Springs pose the greatest danger to homeowners who attempt to repair garage doors on their own. This is because torsion springs are under extreme amounts of tension and pressure. It is this tension and pressure that carries your garage door up and down. When they work properly, they are safe to be around. But when they aren’t working properly, they can be extremely dangerous. Professionals are trained to safely handle torsion springs and know how to prevent them from turning into projectile objects that could cause serious damage and danger.
- Collapses: Garage doors weigh hundreds of pounds. Because of their weight, inexperienced homeowners are at greater risk of having their garage door, and its hundreds of pounds, come crashing down.
Now that you know how dangerous it can be to work on a garage door yourself, hire professional garage door installation Pittsburgh technicians to do the work for you. At Thomas V. Giel Garage Doors, we not only install new commercial and residential garage doors, but we also know how to effectively and safely perform garage door repairs! Call us for all your garage door needs.