It may not sound complicated to leave a car parked in the middle of winter and leave it there until spring comes. But some months in a cold, wet garage will do more harm than years of constant use. Common issues that can be prevented by proper preparation are flat spots on tyres, corroded parts of the brakes, flat batteries, and rust.

It may be storing some old car that only comes out in summer, a convertible that is not fun in January, or a second car that does not justify the costs of running in winter, but in any case, it is all in the preparation of the car and the garage.

Sorting the Garage First

It should be a real weatherproof garage when it is time to store a lot of things. That is ensuring that there are no leaks, draughts, and damp issues before putting the car in.

Go on a stroll in the down pour and see where water is finding its way in. The potential problem areas include the seal around the door, where the roof and the walls meet, and cracks in the rendering or brickwork. Minor leaks that do not matter much when you simply park over night are serious issues when the moisture gets gathered over a few months.

A majority of the garage doors are lined with rubber or brush in the bottom and sides. Stiff air and moisture easily enter in case they are dead or pressed flat or damaged parts. New spares are inexpensive and easily installed. The early-up-and-over door types are usually inferior to the modern sectional doors; however, any door is functional on the condition that the seals are intact.

Your enemy during storage is damp. Although the water may not be actively dripping, when the air has moisture, cold metal will condense. That condensation rests on paint work, under trim, in door shut, and where-ever it is possible to rest – rust ensues.

A dehumidifier that is used during winter uses some electricity (PS30-40) and saves thousands of pounds in rust. You should get one with a continuous drainage feature where possible and this way you are not emptying the tank every 3-4 days. Place it at the middle of the garage and not at the end of the garage and ensure that there is airflow to the car.

Stability of temperature is an issue.

Garage doors that are insulated assist a lot in the temperature control. They will not make the space warm, but they dissipate the rate of change in temperature, and decrease the condensation. In case you have a single skin metal door which is old and you are really serious about storing cars, then probably, the best and only addition that you can make is to upgrade to an insulated sectional door.

Insulating the wall and ceiling also help, however, it is more complicated and costly. Begin with the door – there most of the heat exchange occurs anyway.

Ventilation appears to be a contradiction of ensuring the garage is closed, however some level of air movement is necessary so that the air does not stagnate around the car. Instal a basic vent, or leave a minor opening of some sort that will provide minimal air flow without causing draughts.

Preparing the Car Itself

Before storing the car, clean it, dust and road salts trap moisture on the paintwork and lead to corrosion. clean it, wheel arches, underside, too, should you be able to, and dry it thoroughly. Water that is pooled in the panel gaps or beneath trim will be problematic in the long term.

The paintwork has an additional protective layer of either wax or sealant. It is unnecessary but would assist moisture evaporating instead of resting on the paint. Protection is available in the door shuts, the edges of boot lids and all places that water gathers.

Fill in fuel tank to the full. The less space available in a full tank in which condensation will form, makes a difference than you would assume. The condition of corrosion of the fuel systems occurs in case of accumulation of water inside the system, and a not completely full tank is a precondition to this issue. Add fuel stabiliser in case the car will be idle more than three months.

The maintenance of batteries is car-dependent. Contemporary cars have parasitic drains due to alarms, computers and other devices that will flat a battery in weeks even when the car is not on. Disconnect the battery, or a maintenance charger to maintain the battery topped up during winter.

In case of older vehicles with very few electronics, it becomes easier to disconnect. You just have to take off the negative side – you do not have to take off the battery completely. Locate the loose terminal in a place where it will not get in touch with the battery post.

The tyre pressures must be raised slightly more than usual – maybe 5-10 psi more. This decreases the risk of the development of flat spots where the tyre comes into contact with the ground. Tyre cradles would distribute the weight and eliminate any flats, but they would be excessive over a storage period of less than six months.

Others recommend putting the car on axle stands to relieve the suspension and all weight off the tyres. It is effective but does not need to store the car in winter and causes inconvenience whenever you want to move the car.

Protecting Against Pests

Mice and rats love garages. They are arid, windless, and usually contain possible nesting materials. A car that is not used in months is literally a mouse hotel should they be able to get in.

Test your garage on access points. Mice are able to squeeze through holes you would not tend to imagine exist – provided you can squeeze a biro through a hole, a mouse can squeeze through. Close any holes around the pipes, cables or at the junction of the walls with the floor.

Filler cannot work alone as well as steel wool pushed into small holes since mice are unable to chew them. Put it together with expanding foam or filler and they will surrender. Inspect the intersection of the garage door and the frame as well – easy access areas consist of areas around the side.

In the case of the car itself, stuff up the exhaust with a rag or an exhaust bung. Mice will nest on exhaust pipes, and in the silencer box or even the manifold. Also do not forget to take out the bung when starting the car in spring.

Bonnets must remain closed, but take into consideration putting mouse traps inside the garage and not inside the car. The smell of a dead mouse that you cannot find in a car is really disgusting.

Covering or Not Covering

Car covers are divisive. Breathable covers made of good quality serve to prevent the dust and also prevent UV damage in case your garage has some windows. Poor quality non-breathable covers trap the moisture and do more damage than good.

When you use a cover, ensure that the car is firstly very dry and the cover being used is also clean. Mould and corrosion are the most ideal conditions to occur under the cover of a damp car. Cover must be really breathable – not some old bed cloth or plastic cover.

To be frank, when your garage is tidy, dry and fairly closed off, you need not have a cover. The vehicle will be okay when it is not covered when the moisture is regulated. The primary safeguard of a cover is the dust that settles on the paintwork and would be more important when other activities that generate dust are carried on in the garage.

Security Considerations

An unutilized car which has been lying idle over a period of months can be stolen. It will not be instant to tell whether there has been an event, and thieves are aware that it is winter storage, and it is likely to consist of valuable classics.

There should be good garage door locks. In the event that you have a contemporary sectional door featuring an automatic opening, then it is likely that it is secure already – the motor tool will lock the door into position. The manual doors must be appropriately locked and not with the pathetic bolts that were installed.

An obvious alarm box in the outer and inner movement sensors discourage proactive thieves. Their level of sophistication does not require much – the point is to be noisy and get attention.

A steering wheel lock or pedal lock should also be used as an extra measure in case the car is a very valuable one. They are a pain to instal and take out, but in winter when you are not using the car regularly another layer is added onto the car making it a less appealing target by thieves.

Access During Storage

It is likely that you would wish to cheque on the car during winter. The monthly cheques allow you to identify the issues in time – leaks forming, dampness forming, and battery problems will be noticed before they worsen.

You can start the engine a minute or so in case you are testing it, but you must be able to get it started long enough to get it to proper operating temperature. It takes more than just a few minutes – it takes 20-30 minutes of running to get the condensation out of the exhaust system and all properly heated. Unless you can make a commitment to that, then do not start at all. Short runs have detrimental effects as compared to letting it be.

It is possible that you should move the car a little bit in case of flat spots. Simply pushing it forward or backwards a foot will have different sections of the tyre bearing the weight.

confirmed: The dehumidifier is working, and the tank is empty where necessary. Cheque whether there are any traces of pests or water intrusion, and ensure that there is no leakages or water infiltration.

Getting It Right

Winter storage is not a complicated or costly undertaking, but one that needs some consideration and planning. Clean the garage and make it a stable place, make the car ready, and cheque it every now and then. Do so and your car will be coming out in the spring in the same condition you put it in being able to drive without issues.

Forget to prepare and you are playing the chance with rust, mechanical problems and a car that requires to be worked on before it can be put into use. It is a weekend of preparation instead of weeks of remedial work in spring.