The recent devastating floods in British Columbia, Canada, have demonstrated to us once and for all how vulnerable people are in the face of disaster. Most of us live in floodplain areas and don't even suspect the danger. However, just like any other emergency event, the Canadian floods taught us several crucial lessons which may entirely change the way people see anti-flooding protection in the future. Garage door flood barriers are among the most discussed topics today. And here is why.
there are numerous ways to floodproof your home:
- Make sure that you don't build or buy a house in a floodplain area;
- Elevate the living space of your house, leaving the garage and basement on the ground area;
- Installing flood barriers and building dikes and drainage in your property, etc
However, you would have to compromise on something with all those measures. Building on an elevated ground, you deprive yourself of an opportunity of living next to a beautiful lake or in a beach house, which is pretty everybody's dream. And once you decide to design a home with an elevated living space, there is still a possibility that your garage and basement will get flooded anyway, causing you massive losses.
In this light, garage door flood barriers and other proven ways to protect the garage and basement areas from flooding become an ultimate solution that would allow you to enjoy the safety of your floodproofed house without compromising or preparing yourself that if the disaster strikes, you would still have to sacrifice something to the floodwater.
Especially if this "something" is your beloved car!
In this article, we shall talk about proven and efficient ways to protect your garage from flooding and ensure that no matter how intense the upcoming flood season might be, it will not damage your household or affect your wellbeing.
Inspect your garage
Now is the best time to inspect your garage thoroughly and detect any cracks and possible leaks in the walls, floor, or garage door.
Here is how to make sure that you won't miss anything:
- Sweep the garage floor thoroughly and declutter it. Make sure you get rid of all the dust and debris that might have covered some cracks or other damage;
- If you notice a crack on the floor or wall, clean it and then fill it up with concrete filler following the instructions on the product's package.
- If you have damage of up to 1-inch-wide, you can use any expandable product like epoxy or alike. In case the damage is wider, use concrete fillers only.
Inspect and replace your garage door if needed
The first garage door flood barrier in your property is the garage door itself. Once we are talking about possible minor flooding caused by heavy rainfall or intense snowmelt, the garage door may do the job and protect your property from the water just right if it is in perfect condition, does not have any mechanic damage or evidence of wear and tear.
Even if you are already determined to protect your property with garage door flood barriers, it does not mean that you can neglect the door itself. After all, the more insulated your garage is, the better.
Here is what you should do if you already know or just noticed damage or crack on your garage door:
- Disable the garage door opener to avoid accidents while you are fixing the damage;
- Clean the crack or hole from dirt and debris and smooth its edges for a better material adhesion;
- Use spray foam insulation or other similar product to fill the gap;
- Once the filling is dry, sand the surface to smooth it. Refill possible cracks that may become visible after the sanding process;
- Paint over the fixed part for additional protection of the damaged area.
However, in some cases, it may not be enough just to fill the cracks and paint over it to floodproof your garage door. Here are some crucial signs that you should better replace the garage door:
- Rotted or heavily rusted panels on the garage door;
- Hinges between the panels are loose, worn off, or rotted out;
- Dents and holes on garage door panels;
- It is hard to close and open the door; you often have issues with the mechanism or notice that there are still visible gaps between the garage door and the floor when it is supposed to be fully closed.
If you noticed at least 1 of those signs, it is better to consider replacing the garage door before the next flooding season, even if you already got yourself a set of garage door flood barriers.
Choose and install garage door flood barriers properly
Today you may see many products meant to protect your property from flooding. Flood barriers are righteously among the most popular.
It is pretty understandable. Garage door flood barriers are easy to install and remove, and they don't take much storage space when you are not using them.
Garage doors might be the hardest to protect from floods as the gates have different sides, and not all flood gates will manage to fit the exact measurements of your door.
However, there are models with highly-adjustable air pockets that can quickly seal any passage. Combined with connecting mechanisms, they can turn into a solid dike that will fill your garage or basement passage and protect them from floodwater.
Garage door flood barriers are an excellent solution for those who don't want to compromise on their safety, comfort, and wellbeing during and after floods. They help you protect every area of your house and ensure that the consequences of disaster will be minimal for your household or business.
Contact Dam Easy today and learn about our garage door flood barriers and other modern sustainable anti-flooding solutions that will protect you and your house from the upcoming flood season and serve you for many years, being one of the smartest investments in your property.
Flood Barrier Door Dam - Ultimate Flood Gate
$900.63
DAM EASY® FLOOD GATE - DOOR DAM Floods are becoming more common around the world. What was once a 100-year phenomenon is now a seasonal trend that homeowners must deal with. That’s EXACTLY why you need this Dam Easy Flood… Read More
