Pest Proofing Your Garage Doors

Pest proofing your garage doors is an absolute must. Your garage is the gateway the cleanness of your humble abode to the outside world, it’s a heavily utilized space and it functions best when pest free. If you’re like most homeowners, you use garage space for storage rather than only storing a car. According to a Home Innovation Research Labs study: of 900 homeowners surveyed, 93% used their garage for storage and 84% used it for their vehicle, while on average 30% of garage space is utilized for something other than parking.¹

Therefore, you probably cringe at the idea rats, mice, roaches, and other pests may have no problem seeking harborage in your garage space.

Small pests need little space to get in. Rats, for example, need only a finger width of space in the garage door to get inside. If you can slide your finger under the gap near the ground, it’s time to take preventative action. But rats and other bests can also get in through vents, openings around pipes and wires, and drains. They can also dig under the foundation or climb up to the roof, into the eaves, and in your house.

Why Do Pests Love Garages?

Rats, and most pests, are animals looking for shelter where they can find protection. A garage protects them from the elements and predators. There typically aren’t any birds or other creatures to fear in a garage. As people tend to use their garage as an impromptu food pantry, rats can often find a multitude of store pet foods, snacks, and other edible items in packages that are easily chewed or clawed through.

How to Keep Them Out

Effective ways to pest-proof your garage door include:

Establish a Perimeter

Start outside your garage door and move any plants, firewood, and other pest-friendly items away from your garage door. Tree branches should be trimmed back so small pests don’t have easy access. Also, consider hiring an exterminator to treat your lawn and/or yard.

Organize Your Garage

Behind your garage door, cleaning up a cluttered space can make it less hospitable to pests. Try to store items above the floor. Cabinets, shelving, and baskets provide storage and organization. It’s less of an advantage for pests to settle in when items are stored in tightly sealed plastic totes rather than chewable cardboard boxes. Ceiling storage racks help move things off the floor as well.

Replace the Weather Seal

A worn weather seal at the bottom of your garage door is the easiest entry point. Install a rubber seal if you don’t have one. Bottom seals are often made of foam, vinyl, or felt, which rats and other rodents can chew through. Some seals melt if the pavement gets too hot and most simply wear out with regular use. One type of durable seal is made of metal and another is made of rubber reinforced by steel wool in the middle.

Also install seals at the junction of brick and siding, around doors, and windows. Consider vent covers as well if you don’t have them and/or replace plastic vents with metal ones.

Contact Mesa Garage Doors

Homeowners throughout Southern California rely on Mesa Garage Doors for installation, repair, and sealing services. We service all types of garage doors and have an extensive product line representing single- and double-car models and numerous styles, materials, and finishes. In addition, numerous colors and window options are available. To book service or request an estimate, contact us online or call 800-893-1107. We are available 24/7.