How to Keep Bugs Out of Your Garage
There is one thing that can quickly downgrade the whole garage experience – bugs. If you find yourself dealing with a bug problem in your garage, you’ll suddenly need to find a solution to that issue before it gets out of hand and significantly takes away from the usefulness of the space. This article will offer some basic tips on how you can keep this from becoming a problem in the first place.
Should you happen to need to build a new custom garage due to bugs, be sure to check in with American Steel Carports, Inc. on that project. Our custom design allows you to better avoid this problem in the future. We have a Build & Price tool here on our site that you can use to create a custom design, and we are always available if you’d like to contact us. Don’t wait any longer to get started!
An Attractive Place
You probably worry more about bugs getting into your house than your garage, but the fact is that your garage is still a pretty attractive place for them to hang out before migrating into your home. If you provide the bugs with any kind of reasonably easy access to this space. In that case, you can expect to find them there sooner or later, especially if the garage is poorly made with gaps for them to sneak into, which is why working with a reputable company when building is so important.
Start with a Blank Slate
One of the primary keys to keeping bugs out of your garage is making sure there aren’t any in there currently, and removing any that you find. If an infestation is already in place, you will continue to have problems moving forward, even if you stop any new pests from getting in.
The best way to check for current bug problems is to pull everything out of the garage for a moment so you can see into all of the little nooks and crannies. This sounds like a big job, but it probably won’t take as long as you expect. Pick a nice weather day for the task so you can just put your things outside, inspect for pests, and then bring everything back in. Of course, any pests you do find will need to be eliminated, and if the problem is significant, you may want to bring in a pest control company to handle the work or even replace your building.
Clean is the Key
With all existing pests eliminated, the next step is to make sure there isn’t anything particularly alluring waiting in the garage to be discovered by new pests. Specifically, we are talking about things like leftover bits of food, trash, or anything else that could be consumed. If these kinds of items are left around, you can be sure they will be tracked down sooner or later. Make it a habit to throw away any scraps or food wrappers if you have a snack in the garage, and never let bags of garbage pile up. The less inviting this space is for bugs, the less likely you are to run into an issue. Designing a space that is large enough to have waste baskets and easy to walk through so mess doesn’t pile up is a part of the solution. It may be that you’ve outgrown your space and need to build a bigger garage. One way to tell is if the space is so cluttered you can’t see where waste is accidentally left lying around.
Seal Up Around the Edges
Without food or garbage lying around, the bugs will be less likely to want to make their way in – but you still aren’t in the clear. Another important step to take is sealing up the outside of the garage as thoroughly as possible. Bugs can make it through extremely small spaces, so even tiny cracks are worth your attention. If you find small cracks, consider using a bit of caulking to close them up quickly and effectively. Also, check periodically on the weather stripping that should be found at the bottom of your garage door. If it is failing or just plain missing, you will be giving the bugs a clear path to walk right in. When you work with American Steel, we consider these features before they become a problem for you and make sure the building is well-constructed to keep pests out.
Build a Garage that Keeps Out Bugs
Dealing with bugs in your garage is one of those situations where it’s better to spend some time and effort upfront on prevention than to deal with a bigger problem down the road. The very best prevention is a well-built garage. Get in touch with the team at American Steel Carports, Inc. today to learn more about our metal garages!