Garage doors are no different than any other door entering your home and as such, it needs the proper sealing to remain efficient and to be an asset to the home rather than a burden. Before you get started, make sure you have all the right materials for the job. You are going to need…
- Garage Door Weather Stripping Kit (or individual pieces)
- A pair of vice grip pliers
- A Flathead screwdriver for aluminum doors
- A putty knife or other sharp flat ended tool for wooden doors
- Exterior grade caulking and caulking gun
- Tools to attach the weather stripping: (all nails, staples, and screws should be corrosive resistant)-A hammer and nails or a power drill and screws
-A brad nailer loaded with u shaped staples (optional)
- Construction grade adhesive for wooden doors (optional)
1. Make sure you remove all of the old weather stripping products, if there are any, from all sides of the garage door frame and the door itself. Use the vice grip pliers to stop the door from closing will allow you to work on the bottom seal at a comfortable level. Remove any nails, staples, or adhesives that were used to install the previous weather stripping. For aluminum doors, the bottom seal is a half moon shaped sleeve that slides onto a railing that runs the length of the door. To access this railing, flare the metal track with a screwdriver allowing you to remove the lowest wheel from the track and gain access to the railing before sliding the bottom seal off.
2. Take measurements of the bottom of the door and the frame for the top and side seals. Remember; measure twice, cut once.
3. For aluminum garage doors, simply slide the new seal on and secure the bottom wheel within the track by bending the flare back into place. For wooden doors there are a few different types of bottom seals; flap seals or bulb and flap twin contact seals. Either seal can be made from solid rubber or foam rubber. Using a construction adhesive is optional but if you choose to use it, place a bead of the adhesive along the base of the door before attaching the weather strip. To install these types of seals, nail (or screw) one edge of the seal about an inch from the end of the door. Place an additional contact 2 to 3 inches from that point, moving towards the middle. Once the strip is attached to one end, stretch the rubber to the other end of the door and place the same nail (or screw) set up to secure the strip. Additional contact points should be placed in the center of the door, the center of the halves, and every 6 inches in between.
4. Once your bottom seal is in place, release and close the door before moving on to the top and side seals. Regardless of which type of door you have, the side and top seal instillation will be the same. The seals should be placed on the frame, touching the door when it is closed. Attach the seals with nails, screws, or staples every 3 to 4 inches. Trimming the base of the side seals may be necessary to not compromise either the bottom or the side seals if they overlap one another. Finally, run a bead of caulking along the edge of the side and top seals along the frame of the door.
Once installed, you should check for light leaks from the inside of the garage, making sure all of the seals are in place and have good contact will ensure a proper weathering of your garage.
Don’t forget All 4 Seasons Garage Doors is home of the Service Call. We are available 24/7 for emergency service. Call us today at 678-981-8454!
https://www.all4seasonsgarages.com/