Improving the non-car garage

If you're one of the many people who don't park cars in the garage because it's too small or you have too much other stuff in it, consider weatherizing it. It will lower your electric bill (especially in cold or windy seasons), give you more privacy, and reduce the number of pests that get in.

The first thing to do is buy weatherizing caulk, the kind that foams up like shaving cream. Make sure that it's graded for windows. Spray the perimeter of any garage windows, to keep wind from seeping in around them. After it dries, you can cover the windows with a tarp or even shower curtains, attaching the edges to the wall to make more of an air barrier. This keeps curious eyes from peeking in to see whether you have anything worth stealing, and it further blocks the cold by providing a pocket of air between the window and the curtain. I recommend using something white and semi-opaque, to block the view from outside but still allow some light to come in.

If it's winter or almost winter, go ahead and caulk the perimeter of the garage door, also. If it's spring or summer, you might want to wait, in case you need to open the door to clean out the garage. If you find that you need to open it after you've caulked, don't worry. The cost of recaulking is minimal, and still worth it.

The total cost of this weatherizing can be ten dollars or less. The caulk tubes run about $4 each in my area, and even if you buy two (one industrial, extra-expanding, and one less-expansive window kind), it's not costly. If you use shower curtains, you can get them from a dollar store.