An outdoor extension cord, a hose, and a little bit of creativity will work wonders for your second garage and allow you to do pretty much anything with your second garage that you wish you could do with any extra space! If you’re not sure why you would want a second garage or what in the world to do with one you already have, here are 5 uses for your second garage that will make both garages more useful and enjoyable!

• Hobby Room

Even if you don’t have a hobby yet, finding ways to use your second garage as a hobby room will give you some ideas on how you can more enjoyably pass your free time. You can create a canning kitchen, woodshop, sewing room, auto shop, or even a home brewery! Grab a few outdoor extension cords if your second garage doesn’t have electricity. Visit your local Habitat for Humanity store or hardware store for a cheap utility sink, and use your hose, with a nozzle attachment and a sprayer, for the water supply. You never know, a second garage for hobbies may even end up being your new workplace when those hobbies turn into a home business!

• Second Garage Home Office

Even if you don’t work at home, a second garage home office is the perfect area for paying bills and catching up on mail, or just for spending some much-needed time alone time reading and journaling. Buy some cheap indoor/outdoor carpet for your second garage office, get one of those old tables, a chair, and maybe even a dresser to use as a filing cabinet out of your primary garage, and voila! You have a home office!

• Party Room

Many of us already use our primary garages for our man-caves (or woman-caves!).  We host informal weeknight gatherings among a few friends in our garages, rather than indoors, to keep the house clean, wave at and recruit passing neighbors to the party, or just to get away from the kids. Keep your party room temperature controlled by buying a portable fireplace or heater, or by placing a window air conditioning unit in the garage. If your Homeowners Association doesn’t allow window units in your neighborhood, place one on some garage shelving with a bucket underneath to catch the drip!

• Getting Around HOA Restrictions

Homeowners Associations can be very restrictive. If you want a vegetable garden, but your homeowner’s association won’t allow it, create one in your second garage! Artificial ultraviolet light, heat sources, and a do-it-yourself hydroponic system can give you fresh vegetables and herbs year-round! Or, if your HOA doesn’t allow backyard clothes lines, hang clothes to dry in a second garage. Buy some cheap clothespins and clothesline from your local Dollar Store and a heat source or fan, then hang clothes to dry by attaching the clothesline to the walls. You can cut your electric bill by as much as a third when you hang your clothes to dry!

• Dog House

Why, yes, we do mean THAT kind of dog house – but also the other kind. If you’re frequently in the doghouse at home, a second garage is a great place for you to spend the night (and 9 out of 10 spouses agree!). A blowup mattress and a heating or air conditioning source can be a lot more comfortable than sleeping on the sofa within earshot of an angry spouse. Add a dog bed and some treats and toys for your furry friend, and you’ve even got a place for your preferred companion!

• Family Expansion

We know we said we only had 5 uses for your second garage, but this bonus idea is one of the best ideas for a second garage for married couples! Anyone who lives with a child knows how hard it can be to try to conceive a second, third, or fourth one when a kid is already in the house. Although you should never leave small children alone, turning your second garage into your family-making room will allow you the privacy you need to finally expand your family. We won’t get into specifics on this one!

Any of these ideas can applied to your primary garage as well, if you just move all your junk from the primary garage to the second garage. Also, think of ways you might use any type of additional space in your house. For the most part, a second garage is not only a cheaper option than adding a room, but a better one! Owning a second garage can be turned into an investment or anything you might dream of doing with extra space in your home. If you don’t have a second garage or can’t afford to build one, turn a backyard shed into one and start enjoying your second garage today!

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First of all, it’s important to give the garage door a look and listen test.  When you open and close the door are there any strange sounds?  Does the door move smoothly in its track?  If the door’s making a rubbing sound, try to locate the sound—eyes only, don’t put hands anywhere near the moving parts of a garage door!  Also, if the door comes jarringly up the track, check the track when the door is in a down position.  Both sides of the garage door’s moving parts—springs, cables, and pulleys—should look symmetrical.

It’s a common problem for a garage door to have problems with the springs.  Springs are under intense pressures and often, because of this, the springs can wear out or break over time.  A worn spring could cause the garage door to stick in its track, or open and close jarringly.  To check the springs, disable the garage door opener, and lift the garage door halfway up into its track.  If the door balances there, the springs are in good condition.  If the door doesn’t balance, it’s often the springs, and, because springs are a notoriously dangerous component to fix, it is important to call a professional.

It’s also important to keep the garage door and the moving components lubricated.  There should never be any lubricant applied to the track.  This can do more harm than it would do good.  The track can be wiped clean, but lubricant could cause the door to slip in its track.  Lubricants can be applied to all the moving parts of the garage door.  For Garage door opener models, like Screw and Chain Drive models, it is also important to lubricate this component.

Also, make sure that all of the safety components are working properly.  The safety sensors should be working appropriately: the sensors are lit with green lights and the door can be closed by pressing the garage door opener.

Visit Bailey Garage Doors for all of your garage door needs.

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