A well-insulated and weathertight garage door does two things for you. It keeps the cold out of your garage in addition to being a noise barrier. If you simply park your car outside for a few days and turn up the heat inside, your garage can be used for lots of other activities. In most homes today, garages are becoming multi-functional, so why not join the trend! Here are 10 alternative uses for your garage that just might justify getting a garage door that is insulated and weathertight.
A workshop
This is probably the most popular alternative use for a garage. Remember that in winter, a garage door will keep you nice and warm inside, while in the summer, in addition to maintaining a cooler temperature inside, the very same door will act as a noise barrier so that sounds like a table saw, won’t be heard outside.
A place to do some renovation-related jobs
Like most people, you do your interior renovation work during the winter, while outside work is done when the warm months arrive. If any of your projects has entailed work in the kitchen or bathroom, you know how much disruption it can cause in the house. Just think about cutting tiles with a wet tile saw, right in the middle of January, outside. Wouldn’t it be many times better in a heated garage?
An area for cutting molding or trim
What about when you are doing renovation work in bedrooms? Once again, you want to improve their looks, this time by updating the looks of the walls. What would be better than doing than cutting the molding and trim in a heated garage instead of spreading all that dust throughout the house?
A photography or art studio
If you have any members of your family who have an artistic bent, they’ll find the garage is just the place to create their masterpieces. You can also think about using your garage over the winter holidays as a comfortable place for the kids to show off their artistic talents. Keep all those unwanted smells, dust and mess from the main living areas while encouraging their creativity.
An area for refinishing furniture
Garage sale lovers who are also amateur craftspeople will adore using their garages in the less temperate months to strip, sand, stain or paint those treasures they stumbled across in the summer. If fumes are a problem, think about installing an exhaust fan so that none of the mess or odors will invade your living spaces. This way, the whole family will be happy.
A temporary storage area
Are you self-employed and working out of your home? Then it may happen that you need a heated space with low humidity to temporarily store items before being shipped to customers. Your garage is the perfect place so you don’t clutter up the house. But be sure to turn your inventory often, otherwise your garage will just become a warehouse.
A training area for Fido
Wouldn’t it be much better working on what you learned at obedience class in a heated garage instead of getting wet or freezing outside? Sure, you can try it in the house, but it’s much less fun cleaning up accidents or making sure you don’t scratch the floor. In the garage, both you and your dog will be happy and warm, and looking forward to the time together.
A home theater or party room
A two-car garage gives you lots of room for entertaining family and friends. Move in a WiFi-equipped TV with some speakers and you have the perfect place for a movie night. Or, how about a great Super Bowl party locale or teen get-together site? Just add some comfortable seating and your favorite refreshments and you’ll have all the room you need in your heated garage to make your group happy!
A playroom for the kids
A wet snow is falling and you just don’t feel like sending your children outside to play. They are full of energy and need to work some of it off. Why not send them to stretch their legs in the garage by playing hockey, having a game of ping-pong, riding their tricycle…? With your garage at a comfortable temperature, you can just leave the door to the house open and keep an eye on them while you do a little cooking in the kitchen.
And if we just want to park our car?
Let’s not forget that use! The garage should first of all be a warm and dry place to put the car, especially if the forecast is for heavy snow and arctic cold overnight. The next morning you’ll be happy to leave for work in a room-temperature and snow-free car.
What about you? How do you use your garage?
If you have come up with other uses for your garage, other than those listed here, tell us about them! We are always curious to learn some new ideas and discover the unique ways homeowners use their garage as an extension of their house.
Along those lines, if you are thinking about changing your garage door, contact us at 1-877-691-8563. We will be able to guide you in the process, helping you make the best choice based on the ways you use your garage.
You can also come and meet us at our showroom. It will be our pleasure to explain the range of doors that fit with the architectural style of your house. You can also send us a request for an online quotation.
Would it be helpful to see exactly what a new garage door will look like on your home? Then use our Design Centre, and create your perfect garage door online. Take a look, too, at our image gallery.
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