As you take an evening stroll through your neighborhood after dinner, you might catch sight of your neighbor’s house and observe that their garage door doesn’t quite reach the floor—it stops several inches or even a couple feet above. This discrepancy could simply be due to the gap left intentionally or perhaps as a consequence of some issue with the mechanism.
garage door opener problems
, whether due to haste and distraction on the way to work, or often because the door’s misalignment with the pavement isn’t accidental.
Several valid explanations can be found for why homeowners may choose to keep their garage doors slightly open. A primary reason often cited is improved airflow—this could mean letting in fresh air to reduce odors or allowing heat to escape during warmer weather conditions. For those with pets, another rationale involves offering access to an outside space for cats. Although this habit isn’t rare, both advantages and disadvantages come into play when deciding to maintain such an opening.
Read more:
Top Methods for Warming Up Your Garage Without Using an Electrical Space Heater
Advantages To Leaving The Garage Door Cracked
Depending on the situation, a partially closed garage door brings certain advantages. Garages may be designed for parking cars, but for many of us, they end up doing double duty as workshops or storage sheds for the many things we want to keep but don’t want in the house. Cue the shelves full of paint cans, bug sprays, and carpet cleaners — as well as all the
items you should refrain from keeping in your garage
Initially, many chemicals tend to release significant amounts of volatile organic compounds, leading to harmful emissions that impair air quality. Leaving the garage door slightly ajar aids in dissipating these bothersome and possibly dangerous odors.
However, allowing poisonous gases to escape isn’t the sole reason for keeping your garage door slightly open—climate regulation plays a role too. Since most garages lack both insulation and air conditioning, they tend to get extremely warm along with being smelly in hotter regions. Keeping the door ajar permits some of the accumulated warmth to disperse.
A reason for keeping a garage door slightly open might be to provide entry for a cat that a household wishes to protect without letting it into the main part of the house. Even though bringing cats inside is the best method to ensure their safety from illnesses and accidents, certain pet caregivers opt for this middle ground instead.
creating a pet space in a garage
To prevent bringing cat litter smells into the house.
Drawbacks of Keeping the Garage Slightly Ajar
Even with good intentions, having your garage door slightly open can lead to various issues. For instance, while it might allow access for a household pet like a cat, it could equally permit strays, leading to possible fights over territory. Any gap wide enough for a cat will suffice for some animals too; mice and rats could gnaw on items kept inside, contaminating them with their waste and posing health hazards linked to hantavirus. Raccoons could easily get in as well. If you have provisions outside meant for cats, this could attract raccoons who not only create disorder at the feeding area but also spread illnesses or pests such as giardia. Additionally, insects might see the opportunity presented by an unsecured entry point into the space.
If a garage door isn’t completely shut, it becomes simpler for burglars to gain unauthorized entry. Given the choice between an accessible entrance and a more challenging one, criminals typically opt for the path of least resistance; thus, ensuring secure closure of this gateway into your house plays a crucial role in thwarting potential break-ins. Additionally, regularly maintaining the door in a partially opened state exposes mechanical components to environmental damage, which may lead to their malfunction over time.
Liked this article? Sign up to receive professional home tips, do-it-yourself guides, and design inspiration from the
House Digest newsletter
!
Read the
Original Article from House Digest
.
