Whether your garage sits behind your house or is an attached garage, you may find that during periods of heavy rain or snowmelt runoff it can cause water to back up and flood areas around the structure.
2. Whether your garage sits behind your house or is an attached garage,
you may find that during periods of heavy rain or snowmelt runoff it can
cause water to back up and flood areas around the structure.
This is normally due to a poor design of the hardware used to open and
close it. If you live in an area with lots of rainfall during the springtime
months, here are some ways you can protect those items around your
home from potential flood damage:
3. - Use a Pressurized Garage Door Opener – These use an electric motor
to power the door and include a powerful pump built into them which
forces all water out of its way as it closes. They also force moisture away
from sensors that might otherwise detect too much humidity and stop the
door from closing. This can be very important as even a few inches of
water will prevent the door from operating.
4. - Use Sensors - The most effective way to protect your home is to install
exterior motion detectors that will shut off the opener when they detect
water on the ground or on the door itself. Many openers also come with
internal sensors that can tell if too much humidity is present in order to
stop it before hardware damage occurs. If you've had problems with
these solutions in the past due to flooding, some external sensors can
actually float and remain working while others are submerged in water.
5. - Raise Your Door – Some doors have an adjustable bracket at each
side so they can be raised up above surface levels of surrounding
debris. This is especially important for homes that are built into hillsides
or have retaining walls close to the garage door. Heavy rains can quickly
cause water to pool around these structures with nowhere else to go, so
raising your door might be the best option if you live in an area which
experiences heavy rainfall or melting snow during Springtime.
6. - Keep It Closed – If you lose power during heavy rainstorms, try
keeping the door closed until conditions improve. Closing it keeps water
from flowing underneath and entering your home, but also prevents
insects and other creatures from getting inside as well.
7. - Invest in Your Door – Replacing a broken or worn out garage door is
another way you can prevent flood damage by making sure there are no
leaks on the interior or exterior of the door as it opens and closes. A
new door will also be as quiet as possible which means you won't have
to worry about waking family members early in the morning if you need
some extra time before work.
8. - Keep an Eye on It – If you live in a flood zone, it's important that you
check your garage door during periods of heavy rain to make sure that
water isn't pooling near it. Even a small amount of runoff can quickly
accumulate into several inches of standing water if not resolved
immediately, so pay attention to any areas nearby where there is
potential for flooding and keep the door raised above the problem area
until conditions improve.
9. Need help with your garage door? Call Family Door and Gate today at
(682) 970-8811.
