Even with all the maintenance possible, your garage door can still be vulnerable to natural elements, from extreme weather conditions to pests. Luckily, you don’t have to resign your garage door’s fate to be at the mercy of Mother Nature. In fact, by installing garage door weather seals, you can preserve the integrity of your garage door and ensure it lasts a long time. Keep reading this blog to understand why and how weather seals will make a difference in caring for your garage door.

The Benefits Of Installing Garage Door Weather Seals

Before you can start learning how to install these weather seals, you probably want to know what benefits you will reap from installing them. First, you will keep your HVAC system from overworking itself, allowing you to reduce your utility bills while increasing energy efficiency. The right garage door weather seals can also work as a barrier against potential pest infestations. Finally, if you live near water, weather seals can reduce the extent of water damage and flooding in your garage. 

A Guide To Installing Garage Door Weather Seals

Now that you know what you will gain from installing garage door weather seals, you are ready to learn how to proceed with the installation process. Follow these steps to ensure maximum success:

1. Measure And Clean The Bottom, Top, And Side Framing Of Your Garage Door

The first thing you want to do before installing garage door weather seals is clean the bottom, top, and side framing of your garage door. If there are old and worn-out weather seals in place, remove those before doing any cleaning. You can usually use a pry bar and hammer for the removal process. After using standard soap and water to clean those sections of your garage door, you’ll need to measure the bottom, top, and sides with a tape measure.

2. Cut Weather Seals To Appropriate Length

Upon obtaining the measurements, you’ll cut the weather seals to the appropriate length. However, don’t cut them down to the exact measurements. Instead, leave a little extra so you can ensure thorough sealing during the installation process. Afterward, you’ll cut off any excess sealant. You should also cut each weather seal as you go through each part of your garage door instead of cutting them all at once.

3. Install The Bottom Weather Seal

Take a moment to ensure the bottom retainer of your garage door is clean, then slide the seal across and into the retainer. As you install the bottom weather seal, ensure it is nice and snug in the retainer. Before moving on to the rest of your garage door, you can open and close the door to check on the security of the bottom sealant. 

4. Install The Top And Side Framing Weather Seals

Installing garage door weather seals on the top and side framing usually requires using nails to keep the material secure. These nails should be placed 8-18 inches apart from each other, depending on the size of your door. You’ll start with the top, then seal the sides. The door will need to be closed during this step. For maximum effectiveness, ensure that there’s some overlap between the top and side frame seals, reducing the amount of gaps.

5. Fill Gaps Between The Panels

If there are gaps between the panels of your garage door, you can also install weather sealant in those places. The material used to seal garage door panel gaps is typically self-adhesive. You just need to stick the seals to the bottom of each panel, then close the garage door for some time to ensure it sticks. 

6. Seal Small Holes With Caulk Or Wood Filler

Finally, if you are worried about small holes in your garage door canceling out the benefits of the weather seals, you can seal them with caulk or wood filler. After mixing the substance for 5-10 minutes, you’ll use a putty knife to apply the filler to the holes. You can sand and touch it up after it sets so it blends seamlessly with the rest of your garage door.

7. Test Your Garage Door

Don’t forget to test your garage door’s operation when all is said and done. If your garage door continues operating smoothly, you have successfully installed weather seals in your garage door. If, however, there seem to be problems with your garage door’s movement, call a professional for assistance.

Call Garage Door Repair Santa Fe For Additional Assistance

After reading this blog, you are probably more excited than ever about installing garage door weather seals. If you are unsure about your ability to install these seals successfully, reach out to a professional garage door service for help. If you live in Santa Fe, all you need to do is contact us at Garage Door Repair Santa Fe, and we will thoroughly weather-seal your garage door.