How to Prevent Garage Door Flooding [5 Tips]

09/12/2018

On the East Coast, rain is inevitable. If your garage is home to important belongings, like electronics, power tools, or furniture, flooding is your worst enemy. When it comes to flooding, it's incredibly important to be proactive with your preparation--before it's too late.

Here are 5 tips to prevent flooding in your garage door:

1. SCAN THE SURROUNDING AREA

Upgrade drainage with your gutters, drains, and driveway pitch. Both of these solutions will help lead water away from your garage. You could also consider French drains, also known as trench drains if you need additional drainage. They’re an easy fix, and work even if you’re looking for a very subtle look.

2. Install Vents

In order to fully protect against flooding, you could also look at flood vents, which allow water in and out of your garage. This will make sure that your garage doors or house foundation do not take a beating due to high levels of water pressure from rain and flooding.

3. Inspect Your Weather Stripping

One component in flood prevention is the weatherstripping. Many weatherstrippings actually end up trapping water within the rubber tube, weighing the door down, and which then breaks down over time. Make sure the rubber bottom is designed to whisk away water. This will help protect your garage from water flooding and channeling.

Also important to note if your weatherstripping is worn out, which makes it easy for water to enter your garage. Check the rubber for any cracks, tears or dryness. If any of signs of wear appear, replace the stripping for an optimal seal.

4. Check Your Foundation

While you should always be checking the foundation of your home, it’s extra important to the issue of flooding. If your foundation has any cracks, water can get through and seep into your garage.

5. Put a Barrier in Place

After putting all the proper prevention in place, our last advice is to employ sandbags or other barriers. If you know there is going to be large amounts of rain, you can redirect water away from your house with sandbags. You could also dig a trench to help water escape from your house. It won’t be a perfect solution, but could drastically reduce damage.

Weather is generally unpredictable, but it’s likely you’ll have some water build-up this year. If you’re interested in preventing flooding in your garage, you can easily do so by following our tips above. So get to work - protect your belongings and keep your home dry! You can thank us later.

If your garage door needs routine maintenance service or has already experienced damage, contact Fagan Door’s service experts. Founded in 1975, Fagan Door has more than 40 years of experience - we are well-equipped to handle all your garage needs.