Garage door sealing

Garage door weatherstripping and garage door sealing solutions are an essential aspect of garage door installation and maintenance. If your door isn’t weather-stripped properly, you put your garage at risk of animal invasion and unfavorable weather conditions.

In this guide, learn all you need to know about weather-stripping your garage door and how you can get your garage door to seal better.

How Can I Get My Garage Door to Seal Better?

Getting your garage door to seal better involves a process of doubling or replacing the bottom door seal. You also have to replace or fortify the weatherstripping on the molding along the top and sides of the door.

This process may require the addition of tin weatherstripping between door panels to ensure that your door stays as airtight as possible.

Here are the different types of garage door seals you can use to let your garage door to seal better:

Types of Garage Door Sealing

1. Garage Door Threshold Seal

The function of a threshold seal is similar to that of the bottom seal found on a garage door. However, threshold seals are attached to the floor instead of the door.

These seals can be used in conjunction with a door seal or used alone. Their purpose usually is to keep out surface water in driveways that slope towards a garage. You can also use them to fill large gaps below garage doors.

If you find a good-quality vinyl threshold seal, it is usually more durable than a regular door seal. Vinyl deals often come with adhesives included for their installation.

You must remember that thresholds prevent water from going out of a garage, the same way they keep it from flowing in. You might find this design inconvenient if you like to hose out your garage. Having a threshold makes it difficult for you to keep debris and dirt out of your garage.

2. Garage Door Bottom Seal

The seal in the garage door bottom (also known as door sweep) is a long piece of vinyl or rubber. This piece is usually attached to the edge of the garage door bottom.

The seal is made from a flexible material that compresses when the door is closed. This compression causes the gap along the floor to ea, keeping out dirt, critters, water, and cold breezes. Once you notice daylight peeking through the bottom of the closed door, you’ll know it’s time for a seal replacement.

3. Garage Door Stop Weatherstripping

You will find that rain and wind can also make their way into the garage through the top and sides of your garage door. Moreover, you can install Vinyl or rubber weatherstripping on the wood door stop molding.

You can replace the old worn weatherstripping that has lost its sealing strength on your garage door. You can purchase new weather stripping and cut the required length using a utility knife.

For installation, make use of screws or galvanized nails. The door frame of the garage door should press against the garage door while weatherstripping to create a secure seal.

4. Vinyl Door Strip With Integrated Weatherstrip

An excellent option for damaged, old or rotted doors is door stop molding with weatherstripping. This type of door molding is made of vinyl with a flexible weather seal flange and a wood-look molding strip.

It can be easily cut with a saw and installed with stainless steel or galvanized siding nails. To install, begin by positioning each piece parallel to the door face, then push the molding towards the door to compress the weatherstrip flange slightly against the door. Next, fasten the molding to the door jamb using nails.

Ideally, it is best to install the top molding first before overlapping the top molding ends with the stops at the sides.

What is the Best Garage Door Bottom Weather Seal?

The purpose of the seal in a garage door is to provide the right amount of protection and insulation. With correctly done weatherstripping, you can keep the cold out and the heat in. Your garage door can also become energy efficient by combining garage door rubber seals and garage door threshold seals.

Your threshold seals experience a lot of wear and tear. You should replace them as soon as you notice any signs of improper sealing.

The best garage door bottom weather seal is a durable one. Depending on the kind of garage door you have, your specifications might differ. You should purchase a seal that fits your door correctly, easy to install, and cut to size.

How Do I Fill the Gap at the Bottom of My Garage Door?

You may have a gap at the bottom of your garage door where it meets the floor for several reasons. When you figure out the reason for the opening, then you can determine the solution.

1. Replace the seal

Your garage door seal might be the reason for the gap at the bottom of the garage door. If this is the issue, you can do a DIY replacement. Contact your garage door company Toronto and purchase a replacement kit. Installation is relatively easy, and most times, all it requires is driving screws through already configured holes.

2. Take a look at your limit switch if your garage door doesn’t close all the way

If your garage door seal is flexible, animals that need to chew might prey on them. You can prevent this from happening by adjusting the limit switches to compress the seal between the floor and the door.

The limit switches to control the final position of the door, and you can find it at the top of your door opener.

3. Replace your weatherstripping

Another way you can fill the gap is by replacing your weatherstripping. Metal garage doors mainly may simply require replacement weatherstripping to tackle gaps at the bottom of your garage door.

4. Install a garage door threshold

You can purchase a threshold kit from automotive retailers and home centers. These kits consist of a rubber threshold strip and some glue.

However, this method may create a slight barrier making housing or sweeping a bit difficult.

5. The floor might require more concrete

It is very common for concrete garage floors to drop or shift after you pour the concrete mix. This can pose some trouble as concrete slabs hardly ever move in parallel or even ways.

You can add an extra layer of concrete to prove a level, flat surface for the garage door’s seals to rest on.

5. Contact an expert

If you feel that the gap in your garage door is too severe for you to fix by yourself, you can call a garage door expert Toronto. A professional can help replace a sagging bottom panel or adjust if you do not level your door correctly.

How Do You Fix the Bottom Seal on a Garage Door?

Replacing the bottom seal on your garage door can be easy if you know how to go about it. Here are a few steps that will help with fixing the bottom seal on your garage door.

1. Know the Right Seal to Get

There are so many different types of seals on the market today. If you need a replacement seal, you can take a piece from the existing bottom seal along with you, so you get exactly what you need.

2. Measure Your Bottom Seal

Measure the width of your seal while laying it flat. Once you’ve done this, you need to determine the style of the seal. The most common type available is the T-style. You can also find the Bead style, P-Bulb style, and the T-Bulb style.

3. Measure the Width of Your Garage Door

For an accurate measurement. You want to measure the width instead of the garage openings. As little as 1 inch can affect the fitting of your garage door and you, so an accurate measurement is necessary.

4. Purchase a New Seal

Before you take out the old seal, purchase a new one and make sure that it works. Try sliding the new seal into the retainer a bit and check that the “T” of the seal fits in the retainer snugly.

5. Unplug Your Opener & Lift the Garage Door

You can get someone to assist you if the garage door is too heavy for you to lift alone. Pull-on the emergency cord on the door opener to lift the door manually. 

6. Raise Your Door

Raise your garage door and place vise grips on the vertical tracks below the bottom layer. The grips will keep your garage door from sliding shut while you work on it.

7. Remove the Old Seal

Pull out the old seal from the aluminium retainer. You might need to observe the ends of the seal and ensure that you tuck them into the retainer.

8. Clean Your Aluminum Retainer

Take a damp cloth and wipe the entire length of your retainer.

9. Lubricate Your Retainer

Coat your retainer with soapy water and ensure it is dripping wet. Lubricating your retainer will allow the seal to slide through the retainer channels easily.

10. Install Your Seal

Put both “T” parts of the seal into your retainer channels and pull it. Get someone to help you feed the seal into the retainer. The seal should remain level with the bottom of the door, preventing it from flipping over and catching.

If you can’t find someone to help you, then you need to alternate between feeding the seal in and pulling it through.

11. Fold the Seal

After pulling the seal to the length of your door, you might have excess seal sticking out beyond the width of your door. Fold the extra inches of seal back into the retainer. Do this for both ends of the door.

12. Lower Your Garage Door

Take off the vise grips on the tracks and gently lower the garage door. Engage the garage door opener and plug your garage door opener back into the outlet.

13. Run the Door Opener

Sometimes, a new seal can make your garage door appear taller. Until the seal flattens out, you might find that your door has added a little height. You must run the opener and check that it closes properly.

How Much Does it Cost to Seal a Garage Door?

You should expect to spend between $150 to $500 to seal your garage door.

Conclusion

If you live in Toronto or the GTA and you need to weatherstrip your garage door, check out TBC Garage Doors  Garage Doors. We are a trustworthy company that offers professional garage door weatherstripping, installation, repair, and replacement.

We also provide emergency services with a specialized team available to you whenever you need their attention.

Our services include garage door weatherstripping, garage door sealing, garage door opener belt installation, and so on.