Love this Style? This garage door is a Standard+ Shaker-Flat XL, 9' x 8', Black, Clear windows.
Avoid Unwanted Elements from Entering Your Garage
If your garage door has a gap, chances are there is enough of an opening for mice, critters, insects, and other unwanted pests to gain entry to your garage. If left unattended, these pests could seriously damage your personal belongings and potentially get inside your home.
Aside from unwanted critters, rain, snow, and cold winds can also penetrate your garage door if there is a gap. Cold-air seeping into your garage could potentially increase your energy bills. And the last thing you want is water damage ruining your floor which could have the potential to erode the foundation of your garage.
Luckily, there are solutions to fixing the gap on your garage door allowing you to avoid the issues we just discussed. In this article, we will provide you with our 3 essential tips for keeping your garage door fully closed and secure year-round.
1- Replace your Garage Door Weatherstripping
What is a bottom weatherstrip?
A garage door weatherstrip is a piece of rubber, PVC, or other material that attaches to the perimeter of your door sealing the door threshold. A weatherstrip prevents cold from creeping into your garage creating an air-tight seal. There are many types of weatherstrips and the one you choose will largely depend on your garage door.
A u-shaped bottom weatherstripping is the PVC or rubber seal found on the bottom of your garage door. Because they are made from non-rigid materials, they are flexible and adaptable to all floors. A quality u-shaped bottom weatherstrip can withstand strong winds and temperatures as cold as -62℉ (-52℃).
That is what a U-shaped bottom weatherstripping looks like! Interesting, isn’t it?
When should you change it?
If your weatherstrip is beginning to deteriorate and is becoming cracked or dried out, it might be time to change it. If you’re considering replacing your weatherstrip, seal inspections are highly recommended before the fall season to detect any compromised spots.
Regular maintenance is essential if you’re trying to keep your garage door parts in perfect working order. Regularly maintaining your weatherstrip can save you a lot of money in the long run and help you avoid needing to completely replace it.
Tip: Add a lubricant to your garage door’s maintenance routine!
When choosing a weatherstrip, you should pick one that is silicone-based for PVC parts. Petroleum-based lubricants will end up hardening the material and will ultimately reduce its durability. It is recommended that you lubricate your garage door weatherstrip at least twice a year during the spring and fall. Here’s why:
● Spring is a great time to inspect your weatherstrip to see if there are any defects. The weather begins to warm up in the spring making it the perfect time for unwanted pests to come to life and gain access to cracks in your garage.
● Preparing your garage in the fall before winter comes is important to ensure your space stays warm throughout the winter months. Make sure there isn’t any cold air seeping through your door and inspect the condition of your weatherstrip.
If you’re unsure which weatherstrip best fits your needs, we suggest that you talk with a garage door specialist who can better assess what will be best for your specific door. Buying quality materials from a reputable garage door professional is crucial for the longevity of your garage door.
How can you change the bottom weatherstripping?
While it’s possible to replace a weatherstrip on your own if you have all the necessary replacement parts, we highly recommend hiring a garage door specialist with experience.
But if you’re a DIY type of person, you can follow the steps on this website which will guide you toward a successful installation of your weatherstrip.
2- Check the Condition of Your Floor
See how you should properly place your bottom weatherstripping to have an efficient door threshold. An inward and outward slope will drain the water out.
Outside
An outward slope angle allows for water to be directed away from your garage door. This is the ideal setup for the ground near your door because it will prevent water from accumulating which could lead to significant damages to your door and weatherstrip.
Inside
The ground where your garage door meets the floor, also known as the door threshold, needs to be flat and without cracks. Most of the time, a u-shaped weatherstrip should be able to get the job done seeing as it is flexible and can adapt to an uneven floor. But if it isn’t sufficiently sealing all cracks, there are many garage door seal strips that can correct any gaps created by an uneven concrete surface.
Threshold seals are usually easy to install and are adaptable to any door or surface. To install the seal, just cut the rubber to your desired length and glue it to a prepared surface.
If your garage floor is concrete, you have a wide variety of options in how you can even out your door threshold. As long as you choose resistant and durable products, you should be fine with any of these options:
● Epoxy: This adhesive provides a protective layer to your garage floor giving it a clean sheen. With a wide variety of different color options, an epoxy finish gives you the freedom to put your own creative touches on your garage space. It’s great for filling in cracks or smoothening out any uneven surfaces.
● Paint: While not as durable as epoxy, a fresh coat of paint can freshen up stained floors and give your garage a cleaner look and feel. A coat of paint can also fill any cracks that make your door threshold uneven.
● Tiles: If you’re not interested in restoring your concrete floors, rigid tile made of either plastic, rubber, or wood would work best for garages.
● Mats: Floor mats could be a great option if you want to exert minimal effort. If you’re not interested in taking on a flooring project, you can simply use a roll-out mat to cover up the imperfections of your garage floor. They can also be used to fill in any cracks to your garage door threshold.
Concrete Cracks
Not all concrete cracks are the same. Some can present significant issues that need to be addressed immediately while others don’t pose a serious threat. You can learn more by taking a look at this blog which goes over the causes of cracks as well as different solutions you can use to repair them.
● Cold joints
Cold joint cracks can form if the concrete isn’t mixed properly during the installation process. If the concrete isn’t mixed to a uniform consistency, certain parts might dry quicker than others causing portions to expand. This expansion can lead to cracks during the hardening process.
● Cracks during foundation settling or construction
Over the years, the weight of your home will begin to settle on its foundation. Cracks from settling are usually nothing to worry about and are a natural part of your home’s aging process.
● Hairline cracks
These cracks are very faint and hardly noticeable to the naked eye. They can occur due to improper surface preparation of the concrete. They are usually nothing to worry about but you should always monitor them in case they become a bigger issue down the road.
What causes this concrete crack? Should you be concerned about it? Image from Pixabay.
Tip 1: Control the spread of your cracks. You can prevent your crack from expanding by cutting linear control joints which can stop cracks from spreading into different directions.
Tip 2: During your routine cleaning and inspections, be vigilant in spotting any new cracks that weren’t there before. Try to figure out if they were caused by a problem with your foundation or any other serious issue.
3- Adjust Your Garage Door Opener
Having gone over the different types of cracks as well as what you can do to prevent them, you’re going to want to make sure to adjust your electric garage door opener. Weatherstrips need to seal tightly to the floor threshold without getting completely crushed by the weight of the door.
To do this, review your adjustment settings in your manual. You’re also going to want to test the Protector System as well the Safety Reversal System. If everything is still working, you can be confident that your garage is operating in working condition.
A good test to see if your weatherstrip was installed correctly is being able to slip your fingers between the garage door threshold and the weatherstrip. If you’re able to do that it means that your garage door isn’t shutting down too tightly on the floor threshold allowing for the optimal functionality of your weatherstrip.
Like this design? This garage door is a Cambridge CM, 9' x 7', Ice White door and overlays, 4 lite Panoramic windows.
Contact one of our professionals
Get in touch with garage door specialists in your area if you need any assistance with your garage door. As licensed and trained professionals, they will be able to help you with even the hardest job. With years of experience, they can resolve issues with your weatherstrip or give you advice on how to do it yourself.
With ACS Door Services of Lincoln, your garage door will last for decades through all types of weather!
Build Your Own Garage Door
If you’re interested in picking out a new garage door, you first need to find which garage door style best matches your home’s exterior. Be sure to check out our Design Centre app to get a preview of what your garage door could look like. Also feel free to take a look at the image gallery of our previous projects.
We offer a wide variety of garage door services, ranging from installation to regular maintenance. Contact us now at 402-477-4474 and get your free quote by email! We cannot wait to help you with your new house project!
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