Easy Process To Replace A Garage Door Weather Seal
Rodents, snakes, and pests can all be kept out of a garage by using weather seals on the garage door. Anybody who has a garage door has likely noticed that theirs is dry rotting or deteriorated from years of use. You will occasionally need to replace this flexible wear item for your home. It can decay or become worn down from rubbing against the ground, coming into contact with dirt and debris as the door closes on it, exposure to the sun and cold, or even direct damage to the seal. The good news is that getting there is inexpensive and the process is straightforward. Modern door seals can be found that are mounted on a double channel track on the garage door's underside. Some doors only have one seal channel, thus this will still function on those doors. A hammer, nails, or screws are needed to install the older doors, which may really be fastened to the door lip with nails. However this is regarding the channel system that is used on the majority of doors today.
Materials And Tools Needed
- A tape measure or other device to measure the length of your door.
- To tailor the door seal material to fit your door, use shears.
- The substance that goes on the bottom of your door.
Step 1: Measure Everything And Get Your Seal Ready
- Door Length
The length of your door can be measured with the help of a tape measure. The normal height of a single car door is 10 feet, whereas the height of a double car garage door can range from 16 to 20 feet. Calculate your door's precise width by taking this measurement. - Door Thickness
Check the thickness of the door by looking at the end. They typically range in thickness from 1 to 2 inches. Secondly, check the bottom of the door to determine what kind of channel arrangement it has. This is the 1-2 inch margin that the seal will use to make contact with the ground. Your seal's width will be determined by this. If you want it to fit in both channels of your door plate on the bottom of your door, it will come flat, and you will need to curl it in a half circle. Typically, the seal's breadth needs to be twice as thick as the door; for instance, a 2 inch door would have a 4 inch seal. - Channel Width
To determine how wide the seal lip should be, you must now measure the interior of the channel or channels. The channel will often be 5/16 inches, 3/8 inches, or 1/4 inches wide. This measurement represents the width of the seal's channel-riding ends. If you get one that is too tiny, it can pop out. If it is too large, it cannot rest in the channel without having some of the edge removed along its entire length.
These three dimensions are necessary to acquire the proper seal for your door. The double channel seals resemble an I-beam or the letter "H" and are packaged in a flat roll. Buy the sealant, and then search for these three values to enter.
Step 2: Compare Your New Seal To Your Old
Lay your new seal out flat after getting it, then take out the old one. Compare the two by laying them out next to each other. To examine them, lay the two out side by side. The old seal is so rotten and warped that you can no longer lay it flat, whereas the new seal is flat from the box it arrived in after being wrapped up.
Step 3: Review Of The Mounting Method Of Channels
As I mentioned before, the new seal is flat when it is first made and must be folded over to form a half-circle in order for both ends with perpendicular sides to pass through the channels. Certain doors only have one channel, in which case you will need a unique seal with just one "T" edge channel. But the majority have the two. Take a photo of the edge of your door so you can see the channels and an image of how the new seal should be mounted to fit.
Step 4: Pulling The Seal In The Channels Down The Door Length
You can start pulling your new seal into place once you have cleared your channels of any dirt or debris. If you pay attention and don't take shortcuts, it is quick and simple.
- Beginning at one end of the door, thread the replacement seal through the channels while folding it over to form the necessary "C" shape.
- After getting it going, keep moving the seal through the length of the door, folding it as it enters the door channels on the end of the door you started with.
- Continue doing this until the channels are entirely filled.
Step 5: Trim And Secure Your New Seal To Fit Your Door
You should be able to view down the length of your door after installing the new seal to make sure everything is lined up correctly and in the channels. Verify that the seal is at the end of the channels by looking at the opposite end of the door. Your new seal ought to have a little more length in the end. To prevent the new seal from leaking out the sides of the channels, add a little amount of rubber cement to the ends of the channels where the seal is to be placed.
Step 6: Inspect Your Work And Finalize It
Trim the new door seal with your shears so that it protrudes from the ends of the door by roughly half an inch on each side. As a result, the seal will be able to move about without leaking. You can now open your door and check it for gaps and proper fitment. The new barrier shouldn't allow any air or water to pass through at this time. You may need to alter the gap using your opener's instructions if your door has any gaping problems.