Checking the Weatherseal for Damage
It is very easy to inspect your weather seal. You want to make sure that you actually have a bottom weather seal because sometimes painters remove them completely. Once you confirm you have the weatherstripping on the bottom of the door you want to look and see if it has shrunk, torn, or if it's completely flat or hard. Close the door and inspect how it seals. Sometimes it won't make a difference to add new weatherstrip, but sealing is very important, and it may be worth it to you to try anyway.
What is the Seal Around a Garage Door Called?
There are multiple names: including doorstop, vinyl, perimeter seal, and molding. Doorstop is used to seal a garage door against the home's opening so that when the garage door shuts, it will close snugly and that air, dust, moisture, bugs, and other critters won't be able to get through the opening when it is closed. It keeps an airtight seal which also helps with temperature control. It also results in a more finished look to a garage door, aesthetically like crown molding in your home.
Can You Seal Garage Door Gaps?
If there is a gap underneath the garage door when it is closed because the concrete floor is broken, for example, or if the door is warped, bottom weather seal or weatherstripping is typically used to seal the gap at the bottom of the garage door. Doorstop is what is used to seal the sides and top.
How Do I Seal the Gap Between my Garage Door and Floor?
Steel garage doors have an aluminum channel screwed into the bottom section of the door, which is called a retainer. This is basically a track that you can slide the weatherstrip into. All steel garage doors sold new come with weatherstripping already attached from the manufacturer.
With a wood garage door, you either nail or staple the rubber directly to the wood. Adding a retainer here is also an option, which makes it easier to use a traditional weatherstrip which can be easier to find. If you have very uneven ground or cracks in the concrete, we suggest using an extra wide weatherstrip. When wood garage doors are purchased, a professional installation company will add them to the bottom of the door, either before or after painting.
How do I Change the Weather Stripping on my Garage Door?
It is possible to change the weather stripping out on your own, but the hardest part is finding the right type of weatherstrip which works for your door. A trained eye is usually needed to find out if what you buy will work because there are a lot of different versions, but there is a most common type that we carry, which is called a T-type. It can sometimes be slid in and out, but the retainer can sometimes get bent, making it tricky to pull in and out of. The garage door needs to be in the proper position when it is changed, or you may not have enough space. Also, once installed, the garage door operator may need to be adjusted because the door might not sit in the right spot.
Thresholds
If your door does not seal well even when a new weatherstrip has been installed, you can add a rubber threshold. We are a big fan of the Stormshield products. These come with an adhesive and are glued to the concrete. We glue it in a way so that when the door is closed the threshold will rest behind the door creating a tighter seal. Some don't like the idea of a threshold because you may trip on it and have to remember to step over it. Also, it only works on concrete that is not covered in epoxy or is too cracked.
Are there Different Types of Garage Door Weatherstripping Trim?
The most common type of garage door seal is the T-type. This easily slides into a retainer/track and is found everywhere. You can buy this in an extra wide version to help seal bigger gaps. There is also a wood door weatherstrip that is nailed or stapled to the bottom of a wood door. There are other types of weatherstrips carried by specific companies, but the only way to get them is to go back to the original manufacturer.