Proper Weather Sealant for Garage Door

If you pulled your car in the garage today, and looked down and saw something unexpected like mouse droppings, or even mold starting to grow, you might have been taken aback. After all you typically leave the garage door closed. So how did this happen? You might assume your garage is properly insulated, but have you checked into weather sealant? This is a solution that can help prevent a lot of potential problems. 

Garage doors keep things like water, rodents and dirt out because they have a seal on the bottom. Unfortunately, over time, the seals can become worn or just completely fall apart. Think about it – they are exposed to rain, snow and other weather conditions, so over time, wear and tear just happens. You might even notice breaks and cracks in the floor that are under the garage – when this happens, you can trust that the seal is not doing its job anymore. 

Weather Sealant: What Is It?

What exactly is weather sealant for a garage door? Weather sealant just refers to a seal that is typically vinyl or rubber and it is attached on the bottom of your door. The vinyl or rubber will compress when the garage door is closed – it is a flexible material that ensures no gap is between the garage door and the floor. This is important in keeping things out of your garage that you do not want in there. When the sun is rising, do you notice a lot of light coming in through the bottom of the closed garage door? If you do, then you can trust that things can get into your garage. From too much moisture to rodents, you are going to end up with a problem on your hands. 

You can place weather stripping between your door panels, on the sides of the door and in other spots in order to prevent anything from getting into your garage. You will be able to ensure everything is airtight. 

Weather Sealant Options for Your Garage Door 

When it comes to seals, you have plenty of options at your disposal. If you are looking for something simple and have a wood garage door, you might want to consider a strip-style seal. Another option that is like a rubber gasket that might be a good idea if you have a metal garage door is a T-style seal. As you can see, there are a few different things you can choose from. You are not limited. What you opt to go for could depend on the material of your garage door, or what is recommended by your local garage door expert. 

If you are the type of person who likes to do things yourself, then rest assured weather sealant is fairly easy to put into place. But you can always ask an expert to do the job for you. This can be useful so you don’t have to take size measurements or if you just don’t have the time – different heights and spaces require different lengths of sealant. And you might need to go with something specific if your floor is damaged at all. 

Check out some additional details that you might find helpful. 

Vinyl Weather Stripping

Has water been making its way into your garage? If it has, then rubber weather stripping or vinyl weather stripping might be a great idea for you. This would most likely be installed into the door. Over time, it might require replacement. Look for rolls of weather stripping and make sure it is cut to the correct length. Again, it is never a bad idea to hire an expert to do this for you. 

Threshold Seal

Another option for your garage door is a threshold seal. What is this? This gets attached to the floor instead of to the door and can help to keep things you don’t want in your garage out, such as water. Does your driveway go at a downward angle toward your garage? If so, consider using this with a seal. It’s better than only using a seal in some cases.  

Panel Weather Stripping

Garage door panel weather stripping is another option you have for helping to protect your garage. It is wonderful to know that you have many options to secure your garage by taking care of your garage door. One option that you have is V-shaped weather stripping. This was made in an effort to make sure gaps between door panels are sealed shut. Do you have panels with flat edges or a wood door? If so, this might be an option for you. Do you have a metal garage door? If so, you might not need this option, which is self-adhesive and can stick to the panels. How does this concept work? When the garage door is closed, the weather stripping is compressed by the panels. Consequently, you end up with a seal. 

Garage doors keep things like water, rodents and dirt out because they have a seal on the bottom. But as time goes on, the seals can become worn. You know that they are exposed to weather conditions, so over time, wear and tear occurs. You need a functional seal.  

There are many options when it comes to protecting your garage door. Having proper sealant is important and we hope that the information provided here helps you to realize what is available to you. Remember to bring any questions to a garage door expert, like us!