Depending on where in Canada you live, you are either noticing winter weather or can see it lurking around the corner, ready to strike your home any day. While you may have a shovel, salt, and jacket ready, is your garage clean and in a position to be used for its primary purpose, parking your car?

When preparing your home for the season by turning off your water lines, covering your A/C and storing your backyard furniture, it's easy and tempting to use your garage as a seasonal storage facility.

But there are more than a few benefits to keeping it clear for the duration of the colder Canadian months.

Discourage pests from moving in

Winter months can leave plenty of subjectively cute critters displaced and in search of shelter and food. A garage with poor weather stripping and a ton of clutter can serve as a perfect winter getaway for a family of mice, raccoons or whatever may be native to your area. Aside from putting your family's health and safety at risk, the garage, especially if it has a door that leads into your house, can let burrowing guests into your house, which could cost you hundreds of dollars for removal. That's aside from the damage they can cause.

Avoid costly repairs

For poorly insulated garages, winter weather, especially in the face of water and slush buildup, risks costly garage door (and floor) damage.

While a garage floor contracting and expanding with temperature changes is normal, melted snow and crystallizing road salt that get inside cracks on the floor can cause more pronounced deterioration. Also, water, ice, and salt that build up near the bottom of a garage door can cause water damage, misalignment, corrosion of the tracks and rollers, and a loss of tension in the springs.

Simple snow/ice removal is more challenging when a garage is cluttered, so many people simply don't do it. With garage doors costing over $1000 for basic models—and floor repairs costing even more—it can be a pricey oversight.

Protects Your Vehicle

Lastly, it protects your vehicle from the harsh winter elements. Frequently removing ice and snow can damage a vehicle's bodywork and windshield wipers. More importantly, parking your car indoors helps fluids, like motor oil, stay warm. This makes it much easier to start your car on those busy mornings when you're already running late and need to get the kids to school. As well it keeps all the vehicle's mechanical parts lubricated. This reduces maintenance and increases the lifespan of your car.

If money is your primary motivation, it is also essential to know that some insurance companies may offer lower rates to people who keep their cars in garages. So, that's a bonus.

Not able to get your garage up to standard, don't have a garage, or drive a car too big for your home's current garage? Winter elements can wreak havoc on a vehicle. If unexpected auto repair costs sneak up on you, LendCare's auto repair financing has your back; apply online now and get approved in minutes.