A gap under a garage door can shift from a minor annoyance to a much more urgent problem when it becomes an easy entry point for pests.
This was exactly the concern of one homeowner, who turned to Reddit for advice.
Here's what to know
In a thread on Reddit's r/home forum, the original poster described a garage door that no longer sits evenly on the floor because the concrete beneath it is uneven.
"Yesterday I opened the door to the garage and an animal ran by inside," the OP wrote. "I'm afraid this will be seen as an open invitation to mice as the weather turns cooler and I just dealt with that last year at our old place."
"I can't go through that again but I have no idea where to start or roughly how much this will cost to address," they continued.
In the comments, advice focused mainly on fixing the concrete slab to level it again.
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One commenter said, "I had a similar situation and using a concrete leveling company solved it. They came with a small concrete pumping truck, drilled a couple of holes and lifted the slab to level."
When the OP asked how much the repair set them back, the commenter responded that it cost them $450, though that was "Pre Covid."
"God only knows what it would cost today," the commenter joked.
Other commenters shared that prices for similar repairs in their area were far higher. One said concrete jacking was closer to $1,000 to $2,000, which is much more than $450 but still significantly less than paying $5,000 or more for redoing the entire slab.
Some Redditors warned the OP that the condition of the concrete slab could signal a much bigger problem that needs to be addressed.
For example, one person said a similar opening at their house was ultimately linked to foundation trouble and required 22 push piers, which still did not fully close the gap.
Additionally, some people in the thread said the opening could create problems beyond letting in rodents.
"I'd be concerned about water infiltration in addition to animals," one commenter said.
Where can I learn more?
If you've dealt with similar home-repair situations and are wondering what else to watch out for, these stories cover how rodents get inside, a few low-cost pest-control tactics, and other hazards that can crop up in a garage.
• In one apartment, mice kept entering under the kitchen sink despite steel wool and traps.
• In another home, rats found a way back even after basement concrete work.
• A handyman said a baking soda-sugar mix helped keep seasonal pests from settling indoors.
• Pet owners also face hidden dangers in their garage from car fumes and chemicals.
• One homeowner was bewildered by a strange object embedded in the garage floor.
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