Environmental Responsibility Archives - Page 2 of 2

Can you and your garage pass the squeeze test?

September 24, 2013 by Rick Scully

Is your garage causing you stress?

As the season changes, many people find themselves faced with an unappetizing item on their plate, namely the garage and what could have been. During the warm summer months the very best of intentions were always there. Yet, somehow the task of organizing, of making sense of all that stuff in the garage never seemed to make it to the top of the to-do list. This chore kept getting put off to the next weekend, the next available Friday afternoon. Finally now we find the season change is upon us, and the garage is no better than it was at the start of the season. The summer ended so much faster than anyone planned on. Now you may very well feel like you have a monster on your hands.

To help you come to terms with this, your friendly team here at Garage Tailors Garage put together a 7 point self-evaluation garage organization quiz. You can use this quiz to help you figure out where you are and what your best options are at this point. Relax, no one is going to grade this quiz so this is for your eyes only. This is just a fun way for you to find out how much you can or cannot squeeze into your garage and whether you experience what we affectionately call Seasonal Garage Anxiety Disorder.

1. Do you feel your blood pressure rising if you pause to consider your garage, the things that need to be moved in, the things that need to be moved out, the things that need to be shuffled around to prepare for the upcoming season?

2. Are you embarrassed to open up your garage door in front of your neighbors for the mess that’s readily visible to anyone that takes a peek inside?

3. If your garage door happens to be open and a friend stops by to chat, do you find yourself apologizing for the mess?

4. Does your car fit in your garage? Seriously, if you have a one car garage, will one car fit in there at the same time as all your stuff you have strewn about? Or, if you have a two car garage, can you comfortably park both cars inside without moving some of your stuff to one corner or the other? Also, whether it’s a one car or a two car garage, if the car(s) are parked in the garage, can you safely get to your car without stumbling over piles of your stuff?

5. Do truly know where your stuff is? If you suddenly need a pair of shears to trim the bushes out front, can you locate them without hunting all over the garage?

6. Do you actually know how much stuff you really have? You may be surprised to learn that during organization storage solution installations the team here at Garage Tailors Garage often surprises homeowners. These homeowners are shocked and amazed to learn there are duplicate or even triplicate tools such as snow shovels, rakes and the like strewn all over the garage.

7. How much time would you reckon you spend moving piles of stuff around to get to the tools or materials you are looking for at the moment?

Well, there are your 7 questions. There is no real score per se, just a self assessment to help you figure out where you are. As you might imagine, knowing where you are is the first step to moving forward and making a better choice. So, take a look back at your answers. Your answers are a big clue for the next step, which as you might have already guessed is better organization.

Of course, you are already aware of the value of a proper storage and organization solution since you’ve made it this far and to the end of the quiz. Now, one last thing, look back to your answers and ask yourself one final question: Is now the time to take some action and get organized?

Green your Garage Transformation

January 10, 2012 by Rick Scully

When you’re transforming your garage into the space you’ve always wanted it to be, there can be more to think about than shelving, cabinets and flooring. Think energy efficiency when thinking about ways to make your garage green.

Many houses have rooms directly above the garage, and if the garage ceiling is not properly insulated, the room and the room floor can be cold.

There are other ways you can make your garage more environmentally friendly:

Energy efficient lighting

Often a garage was built with just a single bulb. If you’re planning on doing anything in your garage other than parking your vehicle, this isn’t enough. As part of a Garage Tailors Garage transformation, we install fluorescent lighting as an energy efficient solution which also makes your garage a comfortable place to work and maintain.

Paint

Use BEHR paint with less than fifty VOC (Volatile organic compounds) which also have freeze and thaw capability. And, while an insulated garage is ideal for lower overall home utility costs and more comfortable connecting rooms, if your garage isn’t insulated, this particular paint won’t crack with the weather extremes.

Flooring

The flooring we use are also green, using low VOC while being mold resistant, easy to clean with a long lasting finish.

Garage doors

Many garage doors and windows let the heat out. By instalingl energy efficient doors and windows, your heating costs go down and your garage is a more comfortable room to work in. I refer people to Aurora Overhead Doors, a company that does a great job.

In with the old

If a customer has things that are re-useable, I’ll use them. One customer had a Rubbermaid cabinet he was happy with, so rather than sell him a new one, we incorporated it into his storage plan.

Insulated light switches and outlets:

Use switches with foam gaskets that insulate and help secure the connection between the house and the garage.

Finishing details

Caulk between the walls and the floor. Over time and seasons, the connection can expand and contract, leaving gaps where heat can escape. Caulking improves the insulation factor while providing a pleasant finish to the garage space.

Keep your garage smelling clean

July 5, 2011 by Rick Scully

Does your garage smell like a garage? Summertime is the ideal opportunity to clear the air and start fresh.

As I’ve mentioned before, if you have a slatwall system and polyaspartic flooring, cleaning the garage is a breeze. But regardless of what kinds of walls or flooring you have, there are a few things you need to do to minimize dirt and odours:

Keep rodents away:

Seal up any spaces where animals can enter. Have a good look at the walls and the ceiling. Mice can get in through the tiniest holes.
If you must keep garbage in your garage, make sure the bins are well sealed and you wash the containers regularly to get rid of any “come to dinner” smells.

Eliminate mould:

Look for white spots on the walls, which indicate dampness. Mildew and mould can form and cause odours and health problems.
Check the roof on a garage that is separate from the house. Mould can also form from water coming in through the shingles

Prevent chemicals odours

Sort through any hazardous products in the garage and dispose of anything you don’t need.
Make sure lids are secure on gas containers or smelly solvents. It’s best to keep this sort of thing behind doors in a cabinet.

Another important thing to note is if you have a room above your garage, make sure your garage is properly drywalled and sealed. Dangerous (and odourless) carbon monoxide gas can escape into your room.

Need help? Give us a call.

Green de-icing tips from your garage storage expert

February 8, 2011 by Rick Scully

Salt tends to be the go-to solution when it comes to de-icing sidewalks, but you may be protecting your hips at the cost of the environment. As a de-icer, salt isn’t very eco-friendly. Want to go green?

Remove snow from your sidewalk as soon after a snowfall as possible, preferably using a shovel. The sooner you remove it, the less de-icing you’ll have to do. While a snow blower may handle the removal job more efficiently than a shovel, keep in mind that using one completely defeats your environmental intentions!

For traction, sprinkle some birdseed on your freshly cleared sidewalk. As this is a rather costly approach, limit it to small paths only – and don’t sprinkle seeds on the road as this will put hungry little birds in danger.

Looking for a cost-effective solution that allows you to de-ice the parking pad outside your garage, as well as other large areas? Visit your grocery store or local hardware store and ask about non-toxic alternatives that don’t have the same harmful side effects as rock salt.

While we’re on the subject of ice, if you missed last month’s post on how to prevent your garage door from freezing, check it out here.

Clear your garage of old batteries, pesticides and other hazardous items

September 21, 2010 by Rick Scully

Since our last post, in which we pointed you to Rona as a great drop-off point for old paint, we came across a fantastic site that will help you clear your garage of everything hazardous – from aerosol containers, oil filters and antifreeze to gas canisters, batteries, pesticides and more.

Orange Drop is a Stewardship Ontario initiative that helps Ontarians recycle way beyond the Blue and Green Bin, and their site is really user-friendly.

Here’s what we suggest. Head out to your garage now with pen and paper in hand. Write a list of any hazardous items you’ve been meaning to dispose of. Then go directly to www.makethedrop.ca.

Once you’re there:

Click on the button that reads “Where do I go to make the drop?”

Enter your postal code in the space provided.

Use the drop-down menu to select the waste category of the first item on your list.

Browse the results page and choose the most convenient location for drop-off.

It’s that simple, so no more excuses. Clear out your garage day. Your car will thank you!

Discarded paint doesn’t belong in your garage

September 7, 2010 by Rick Scully

Paint Can Recycling Programs In our last post, we talked about ways to restore order to your garage so that you can get your vehicle back inside before the season turns. The long and short of it was purge what you don’t need; organize what you do. Following that post, a reader dropped us a note asking how to dispose of leftover paint responsibly. Here’s an easy solution.

Remember the saying “one person’s trash is another person’s treasure?” Well, last January Rona launched a new initiative under Ontario’s Municipal Hazardous or Special Waste Program. Under that program, you can now drop-off old paint at Rona stores across Ontario. They recondition about 80 percent of what they collect.

Who knows whose walls your old paint will turn up on, but we think you’ll agree that anywhere is better than a landfill.

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