How To Seal Garage Door Gaps

There are many areas of maintenance that are necessary when owning a home. You should always keep in mind that buying a home and maintaining a home after you have bought it can become pricey. Be sure to calculate extra savings into your budget so that you can afford to maintain the areas of your home that slowly break down over time. Just like how your doors and windows have seals, so does your garage. When weathering stripping on your doors and windows breaks down, your garage door weather stripping could also break down. How to seal garage door gaps? There are a few ways to seal garage door gaps. Weatherstripping and a threshold seal are a couple of ways.

Let’s take a look below at the most common areas of a garage door to seal.

What Areas Need Sealing

When it comes to a garage door having gaps, it could be due to a variety of reasons. Let’s take a look below at what those possible reasons are.

• Door Bottom Seal – when the bottom seal of your garage door becomes worn down, you will start to notice sunlight coming into your garage from the outside. This is easy to fix. The bottom seal is a long strip of vinyl or rubber. Also, the material is flexible and meant to compress as the garage door closes. This creates a seal between the door and the concrete. Keeping the dirt, debris, water, insects, critters, and drafts is the main function of a bottom seal. Most wood garage doors use a simple strip-style seal to close off the front of the door and the floor of the garage. Metal garage doors have U-shaped rubber gasket seals that are installed via two tracks on the bottom of the door. Easy installation and great functionality.
• Threshold Seal – a threshold seal is installed on the floor of the garage and be used in conjunction with a door seal. A threshold seal is often used to keep water out of the garage and redirect the water towards the slope of the driveway. Also, they are known to be more durable than just a garage door seal. The only drawback is it becomes difficult to sweep your garage clean.
• Door Stop Weatherstripping – these are installed to keep the rain and wind from blowing in from the sides or top of the garage door. They are installed onto the wood door stop molding. The molding is attached to the door jamb and comes very close to touching the front face of your garage door. This weatherstripping comes in rolls and can be cut with a utility knife and installed with galvanized nails or screws.
• Vinyl Door Stops – this item is a combination of the weather-seal flange, and wood-look molding strip, and is made of vinyl. This item is installed with galvanized stainless steel siding nails. Install the door stop by placing each piece parallel to the face of the door. Push the molding so that it seals up against the door. Then nail or screw the molding to the door jamb. Install the top and then the sides.
• Door Panel Weatherstripping – seals gaps between each individual door panel. This is great for older wood doors that have flat edges. This type of weatherstripping has a self-adhesive that makes it easy to attach to each panel. When the garage door is closed the panels compress the weatherstripping into a tighter place, making a tight seal between each panel.

How Much Does It Cost

The national cost average to seal garage door gaps ranges from $170 to $500. This cost includes parts and labor.

Other Recommended Maintenance

Now that you learned about sealing garage door gaps, let’s take a look at other areas of maintenance in the garage.

One of the areas to take a look at is when to replace the garage door. If you are finding there is damage, wear and tear, safety concerns, or you are losing energy in the home or spending a lot of money then it may be time for a replacement. It is a good idea to contact a professional to help assist with the decision to repair or replace.

Another area is cooling a garage with no windows. If you use the garage as an office, bedroom, or area to entertain, you will want to keep it cool. In the summer months, the temperature can heat up the home and the garage. With no windows in a garage, you can cool it a few ways. One may be installing an air conditioning wall unit or using a portable air conditioning unit in the room.

Lastly, sometimes the garage door will squeak. This can be annoying, so to fix this. Ensure you are taking the time to maintain the garage door and lubricate the parts. This is caused by the metal parts rubbing together as the garage opens and closes several times daily. Consulting a professional may be needed if you find this doesn’t work to fix the sound.

When Do I Call A Professional

Anytime you are dealing with an issue regarding your garage door, reach out to a professional. Not only will they have the parts that you need for the repair, but they also have the tools. If you aren’t sure of which professional garage door installation company to call, reach out to your local home inspection team. They often have services that can be provided with regard to inspecting your garage door for any issues. Also, they can recommend a reputable professional garage door installation company.

Conclusion

When it comes to garage door maintenance, homeowners should be prepared for some basic maintenance. Just like any other system in your home, to maintain the longevity of the garage door, make sure to update the parts and pieces of the garage door. Homeowners can expect the seals of their garage doors to last at least 5 years. The moment that you notice your seals are breaking down you should call on your local home inspection team. They can inspect your garage doors and the garage itself during a home inspection. Call on Colorado Inspection Team to take a look at your garage door and garage during a home inspection in Castlerock, CO, and the Front Range areas.