Weatherproofing Your Metal Garage: Tips For Every Season
Your steel garage does more than hold your cars, it’s a workshop, a storage space, and sometimes even a hangout zone. But if it is not protected from the weather, it can quickly turn into a rusty, leaky mess. More and more homeowners are upgrading their garages to make them stronger, safer, and more energy-efficient. But what does weatherproofing metal garages really mean? Well, it’s about three key steps:
✔ Sealing
✔ Insulating
✔ Protecting
But why does this matter? You would be surprised to know that water damage causes almost 24% of all homeowner’s insurance claims in the U.S. While metal buildings are tough, they still need help to fight off rust, moisture, and foundation problems.
PART 1: Spring – The Post-Winter Cleanup And Prep
Spring is the perfect time to check for damage and get your garage ready for warmer, wetter weather.
1. The Post Winter Checkup: You can start with a full inspection by walking around the metal garage and looking for:
- Roof for dents or leaks
- Walls for rust or scratches
- Foundation for cracks or sinking spots
If you find any issues, address them right away.
2. Seal It Up: Cold weather often leads to cracks in sealants. So, reapply silicone caulk around windows, doors, and seams of your metal prefab garage. For bigger gaps or foundation cracks, you can opt for a flexible polyurethane sealant that can stretch and shrink with the weather to keep water, bugs, and humid air out.
3. Improve Ventilation: Spring air is damp and can cause molding. So, to avoid this, you can add ridge vents or louvered vents to help air flow through your garage. Good ventilation keeps humidity low and your space fresh.
4. Check Molds: If you find any dark spots or musty smells, it can be mold or mildew. Clean it with a safe cleaner and treat the area to stop it from showing back.
5. Fix Drainage Around The Foundation: Ensure that the ground around the garage slopes away from the structure to let rainwater flow away instead of pooling near the walls. Even 1 inch of water can cause $25,000 of damage to your home.
6. Clean Gutters And Downspouts: Clogged gutters can spill water over and soak the garage’s foundation. So, remove leaves, sticks, and dirt from gutters and ensure downspouts send water at least 5 ft. away from the edge of the concrete slab.
7. Check And Stop Rust: If you see red spots on metal panels, grab a wire brush/ sandpaper and scrub them off. Then, apply a rust-blocking primer and touch-up paint, which will save money on big repairs.
PART 2: Summer – Beating The Heat And Humidity
Hot summers can turn your metal prefab garage into a giant oven. Plus, with high humidity, you get a perfect recipe for mold, rust, and sweaty tools. But, here’s how you can fix these:
1. Keep Indoors Cool With Insulation: Insulation helps block heat from getting in. You can choose reflective foil insulations or radiant barriers on the ceiling and walls to bounce heat back. For maintaining temperature inside, you can opt for spray foam or rigid boards.
2. Let Hot Air Escape Out: To release trapped heat from garages inside, you can install ridge vents or turbine vents, but, if your garage is in a tight space, we suggest choosing mechanical vents like exhaust fans.
3. Use Cool Coatings: Choose a light-color exterior paint or reflective paint (if your budget allows you to) since they absorb less heat and keep indoors relatively cooler.
Tip: Opt for window tints or shades that block UV rays and protect stored items.
4. Control Moisture: If you live in high high-humidity area, opt for a dehumidifier to pull water out of the air and keep indoor humidity below 60% (ideally between 30% to 50%) to prevent rust and mildew.
PART 3: Fall – Preparing For The Cold And Moisture
Beautiful fall brings rain, leaves, and chilly air with it, so it is the time for you to prepare your steel garage before winter hits with the following steps:
1. Seal It Tight: Do a final check for cracks and gaps, especially around the garage door. If old weatherstripping is torn, replace it with new and add seals around doors and windows. Ensure to tighten the roof screws and check for rust so that your garage is winter-ready.
2. Clean Around The Garage Building: Make sure to rake leaves and clear debris from the base. Next, trim the nearby trees’ branches as they can break and cause damage in storms.
3. Lubricate Moving Parts: Cold outside can make metal stiff, so use silicone-based lubricants on hinges, rollers, or tracks to ensure every moving part is working smoothly.
Tip: Make sure your garage door is insulated. If not, you can add a garage door insulation kit that is easy to install and helps in keeping the cold out.
PART 4: Winter – Protecting Against Cold, Snow, And Ice
With winter comes freezing temperatures, snow piling up, and icy drafts. So, your steel garage needs extra care to stay safe, cozy, and dry. Here’s what you can do:
1. Insulate To Stay Warm: If your steel custom garage is not insulated, it is best to add insulation with the right R-value in walls and ceilings. An uninsulated roof can lead to about 25% of the heat loss. It will keep heat in and reduce condensation.
2. Keep The Roof Clear: Even though a metal garage is strong, too much snow accumulation can bend panels or cause leaks or rust formation. So, to avoid these issues, use a roof rake to remove snow regularly.
Tip: Opt for a vertical roof metal garage with a higher pitch to slide off snow and water easily.
3. Check For Drafts: Use a flashlight inside the garage to see light coming through cracks and seal them promptly using foam gaskets or fresh caulk.
4. Fire Safety: If you are using a heater inside the prefab garage, opt for electric heaters along with good ventilation and keep flammable items far away from the heat source for safety.
5. Watch For Moisture: Winter season can lead to moisture accumulation inside, so ensure air is moving (you can use active/ passive vents for it) or a small space heater (if you prefer working in the garage on weekend projects).
Figure 1: Weatherproof your steel garage – all seasons essential checklists
Year-Round Metal Garage Protection Starts With Smart Weatherproofing
Weatherproofing is not just a winter chore but something every garage needs year-round. With these right steps, you can keep your metal 2-car garage dry, comfortable, and free from any damage through every season. This saves on energy bills and leads to fewer repairs, plus prolongs the lifespan of your metal building.
A little effort now can save you a lot of trouble later!