Dreaming of transforming your ugly garage into the smartest room in your house?
Most homeowners neglect their garage when building out their smart home. After all, who really hangs out in the garage?
Think again. The garage is hands-down one of the most used rooms in your house. Everyday your garage welcomes you home, stores your belongings and holds your precious tools.
But what happens when your garage doesn’t function as well as it should?
Here’s the problem:
An outdated garage hurts your entire home. Bad flooring, improper lighting and zero connectivity create chaos.
Thankfully, building a smart garage that actually functions for your family is much easier than you think. All it takes is a plan that starts at the floor up.
Here’s your garage game plan:
- Why your Garage Deserves to be Smart
- Your Flooring is the Smart Garage Foundation
- Smart Garage Must-Haves
- Climate Control Solutions
- Storage and Organisation Ideas
Why your Garage Deserves to be Smart
First things first… the smart home industry is booming. In fact, 45% of connected households already own at least one smart device. While tons of new smart tech products come out every year the focus has been on automating the inside of our homes.
Your garage is the neighborhood refugee.
And it shouldn’t be. Garages are more than just storage boxes with homes attached. They can be the most functional part of your home if you build it right.
With cars parked, tools organized and projects made…the garage takes on extreme heat, cold, moisture and foot traffic each day.
Just like the indoors, a smart garage can help you automate your busy household. With exceptional returns on investment too. According to Fixr.com’s latest Cost vs. Value report, garage door replacement alone recovers 268% of the project’s cost at resale. That’s the best home project investment available today.
If replacing your garage door has the potential to earn you that kind of money back. Imagine what you could do by filling your entire garage with smart ideas.
Your Flooring is the Smart Garage Foundation
All great garages begin with a solid floor.
Let’s be real…
If your garage floor is concrete and nothing else, it will eventually crack, stain and give you headaches. The floor looks awful and creates more problems. Moisture pools on the floor. Oil leaks and grease stain. Dirt and debris stick around forever.
Instead of ignoring the garage floor, smart homeowners should install a UV stable floor coating as their first smart upgrade. This revolutionary floor coating protects your floors from sun damage, car fluids, hot wheels and daily wear & tear. High quality UV floor coatings won’t turn yellow or fade from harsh sun exposure when garage doors are open all day.
UV stable floor coatings are also ideal for garage floors in cold climates. Expert polyurea floor coating Michigan contractors can even apply the coating in just 1 day. Since it cures so fast, you won’t be without a garage for long. Polyurea can expand and contract with seasonal temperature changes better than traditional epoxy floor coatings. That’s what makes it so unique.
Not only will a UV stable floor coating protect your garage, it will:
- Shield floors from UV rays and fading
- Resist chemicals, oil and stains
- Beautify your garage with a professional finish
- Create a non-porous surface that won’t soak up moisture
Any smart tech or upgrades you add to your garage will thank you for starting with a strong foundation.
Smart Garage Must-Haves
Great floors lead to smarter technology.
Smart garage tech is what’ll bring your entire house together. Don’t sweat it… most smart garage tech connects right to your existing smart home devices like Amazon Alexa, Google Home and Apple HomeKit.
You’ll want to start with these garage smart home upgrades:
- Smart garage door openers to monitor and control your garage door remotely
- Smart garage door lights that turn on with motion sensors
- Install smart garage security cameras and sensors
- Smart garage power outlets for remote control
Your car, family and DIY projects will thank you later.
Climate Control Solutions
Here’s a fun fact most people don’t know.
Your garage is killing your monthly energy bill. If your garage is not insulated and has gaps around the garage door it is pulling heated and cooled air into your house. Basically, your garage is a free pass for energy to escape at an extreme rate.
Installing smart climate control stops the waste. Smart garage thermostats connected to mini-split HVAC systems can keep your garage comfortable without wasting energy. Some smart thermostats even learn how you use your garage and can automate temps accordingly.
Don’t forget to insulate and seal up any garage door gaps either. Now that your garage is insulated with climate control… it’s time to make it functional all year round.
If you plan on using your garage as a workshop, office or gym.
Climate control is a must. Nobody wants to step into a freezing cold garage in the winter or work in a garage that feels like an oven in the summer. With smart climate control tech your garage will be comfortable every season of the year.
Oh and speaking of moisture. UV stable floor coatings also act as a moisture barrier. A quality floor coating prevents condensation from forming on your floors which causes mould and damage to items stored in your garage.
Storage and Organisation Ideas
Smart garage tech is great… but don’t forget about smart storage either.
Let’s face it… most garages are cluttered and messy. Boxes up against the walls. Tools thrown everywhere. You can’t even fit your car inside anymore.
Garage organisation starts with walls and ceiling mounted storage. By adding slatwall storage panels, overhead ceiling storage and modular shelving, you can free up your floors to be floor. Parking your cars!
Here are some storage ideas to get you started:
- Wall organizers for your tools. Don’t forget pegboards!
- Ceiling storage racks for seasonal items like bikes
- Smart labelled bins for trash, recycling and organization
- Dedicated workbench zones with easy-access power
Once you have your floors protected, walls organized and technology installed your garage will finally be everything you want it to be.
Pulling it All Together
Designing a functional garage for your smart home isn’t as difficult as you think. Turns out… it doesn’t take much money at all either. You just have to make smart choices and start at the floor.
Here’s your project checklist:
- Lay down a durable UV stable floor coating
- Add smart garage door openers, cameras and light
- Install garage climate control systems
- Organize with storage solutions and smart bins
- Sync all tech into a single smart home ecosystem
Kicker? You can now call your garage so much more than a garage.
Your new smart garage is now the smartest room in your home.
