Clean Your Garage Before Temperatures Drop
While Texans may not have to deal with the merciless winters of the north, the Lone Star State still has its share of bone-chilling days. These changes often come with little warning, as 70-degree days quickly give way to road-crippling ice storms.
You may not realize one of the most vulnerable parts of your home is your garage. People in colder climates may consider insulating or even heating them. While these options can help, they are generally not cost-effective or energy-efficient. However, a little fall prep work can go a long way toward ensuring that cold winter nights are spent sipping cocoa in front of the fire instead of dealing with a homeowner’s nightmare.
Beverages
Back in the sunny days of summer, the garage seemed like the perfect place to store those extra soda bottles and cans you picked up on sale for your backyard barbecues and pool parties. But as cold weather moves in, those refreshing beverages could spell trouble.
Without an internal heat source, the garage temperature will slowly fall until it matches the temperature outdoors. As we all learned in middle school science, water expands as it freezes, meaning those innocent drinks could soon crack, causing at minimum a mess to clean up. Here are a few things to relocate before temperatures drop.
Chemicals
There is a reason products have recommended storage instructions. Many chemicals are vulnerable to temperature fluctuations. Pool chemicals, household cleaners, and car polish are best stored indoors in controlled temperatures. Some products may simply become unusable, while others could actually explode.
Toiletries
Hair spray, body wash, shampoo, toothpaste, shaving cream, and lotion are all vulnerable to cold weather. Take them inside to avoid explosions — they may make you look better, but they won’t do much for the garage.
Paint
The garage may seem like the perfect place to store paint. However, if you plan on using it again, you’ll need to store it in a place that isn’t subject to freezing temperatures. Paint that has been frozen and thawed often acquires a different consistency, which may render it useless.
Coverage
Sometimes even your best efforts aren’t enough to prevent a disaster. Winter storms can bring far more harm than a garage mess to clean up. When the unpredictable happens, having a good property insurance policy is key. Call your Texas Farm Bureau Insurance Agent today to discuss the right coverage to maintain your home.
Coverage and discounts are subject to qualifications and policy terms and may vary by situation.
© 2017 Texas Farm Bureau Insurance
