Garage Door Weather Stripping

Replace Worn Weather Stripping

Weather stripping is the nylon or wood stops that surround your garage door’s perimeter. There is climate seal which is installed along the top and both sides of your garage door. And there is bottom seal which runs along the bottom of your garage door to seal to the floor.

All of these seals can wear out over time and lose functionality. In this article we’ll talk about how to assess your garage door weather stripping and how to determine if your seals are in good shape or not. We’ll address the perimeter seals first and the three types most commonly found on garage doors. Then we’ll discuss the bottom seals and the several options you have here — while also addressing why this is not a water proof seal (and how to get it close).

Perimeter Seals

Perimeter seals come in three distinct options. The most common is a vinyl seal which has a rubber flap and a vinyl 2″ board which get’s secured onto the edges of your garage door opening. There are grades of quality to these vinyl pieces that vary in thickness and durability. And in general, these will last for about 4-8 years depending on how much direct sun they take. Overtime, you will notice an older vinyl perimeter seal will crack and even ‘cook’ to where you’ll see the vinyl bubble up. This is an obvious time to replace your weather seals as we need the material to remain pliable and form to your garage door. Once it’s sunbacked and cooked – it’s no longer effective.

On custom doors and some higher end installation where aesthetics are desired as a priority we will see a true wood weather seal which has a piece of vinyl rubber inlaid which forms the seals with your garage doors. Again, this nylon can get sunbaked overtime and brittle. The boards can also get dry, crack, or break overtime. The rubber seals are generally curfed into the woods and help into place with staples.

The third style of perimeter seal that is available is a metal backed and double finned weather seal. There is value in this as it’s a true metal so it does not get sun backed — and the rubber is a thicker epdm style of seal with two fins that double the seals on your garage door. We love this style for our desert and high sun exposure homes.

Bottom Seals

Bottom seals are not designed to prevent water from moving into the garage door space. This is a different issue all together and speaks more to your garage floor grade that your garage door installation. A future article will outline how to add a threshold and create a more water tight barrier if this is something you need addressed — our professional craftsman can also assist with this anytime.

Bottoms seals on the cheap end are gray or thin rubber. They can get slimy overtime and get some compressed they don’t seal much of anything. Like the nylon perimter seals mentioned above, sun can cook these thinner seals and they can stiffen and break – again losing the integrity which allows weather and critters into your garage space.

At Kooler, we always spec a heavy duty EPDM bottom seal. For the mountains and winter climates this prevents the door from freezing to the ground which can cause trauma to your operator system. And in the heat, it will outlast any other bottom seals around, staying pliable and creating a full seal for several years longer than the typical inexpensive seals. We provide this EPDM bottom seal on all our doors as a standard.

Three ways to tell if your seals are worn and in need of replacement:

~ The rubber and vinyl is brittle or discolored — this is sun damage and creates a lack of seal effectiveness.

~You see light on the inside of your garage! This is indicitive that something is out of alignment or worn to the degree of not creating a seal. If you see light — the critters see a protected environment and will move in along with the dust and outdoor climate.

~Seals are visibly broken or torn — this may be obvious and worth mentioning. Seals can tear when hit or even at times when garage doors are out of alignment they can pull and tear rubber seals.

Replacing your garage door weather stripping not only improves insulation but also enhances the overall functionality of your garage door. Proper weather stripping helps to maintain a consistent temperature inside your garage, reducing energy costs and protecting your belongings from extreme weather conditions. Additionally, it prevents dirt, debris, and small animals from entering your garage, keeping it clean and secure. Our experienced technicians are here to provide you with high-quality weather stripping replacements that fit perfectly and last longer. We take pride in offering reliable, community-focused service that ensures your garage door remains efficient and durable year-round.