You get home from a trip to the grocery store and have ten bags to carry into the kitchen. As you turn in the driveway, it begins to rain. You want nothing more than to transfer the bags to the house without getting wet, but you have an unattached garage instead of one with direct access to the house. Before you consider a tear down and massive rebuilding project, take a moment to realize the benefits of an unattached garage instead.
Less Noise Into the House
All sorts of aggravating or annoying noises come from the garage. The door itself rumbles up and down in its tracks. The car engine grumbles and roars every time you take it out for a drive. Tools clank, storage boxes thump when you move them, and garden tools and mowers buzz and whine to life. When your garage shares a wall with the kitchen, living room, or even a bedroom, all of this can become quite disruptive to comfortable living. The space between a house and an unattached garage provides a buffer for disruptive noises.
Prevents Exhaust and Other Odor Transfer
Even worse than noise pollution is air pollution that comes from the garage. Exhaust from the car or truck, fumes from gas-powered garden machinery and tools can seep through the door to the house and make inside smell awful. Odors from gasoline, oil, paint, heavy-duty cleaning solutions, and other chemicals add to the problem. These are not only unpleasant; they can be bad for your health too. Any smells coming from an unattached garage can simply blow away.
Increased Security
One of the most common points of entry for a home is through the attached garage. This is true for families and criminals alike. Many people fail to lock the door between the garage and the adjacent room, or the doors are weaker and more easily compromised than normal front or back doors. Having an unattached garage negates this risk completely. While thieves could still break a garage window or force the door and steal whatever you store in there, they will not be able to get into your home directly and threaten yourself or your family.
Although you might lose a bit of convenience, especially in bad weather, an unattached garage has major benefits over one that shares a wall with your home. You will never have to deal with engine noise or noxious fumes coming right inside and your home will enjoy greater security overall.