Have you noticed any wind-driven rainwater leaking under your garage door? How about rodent droppings or dirt? If you have, then the problem is most likely with your garage weather stripping.

While the seals are designed to keep out dirt, rainwater, and other elements, they do wear out after some time.  If the garage door issue is not resolved, it can result in your driveway cracking, shifting, or creating large gaps.

As a homeowner, you will be happy to know that you can replace your garage door weather stripping by yourself. To do this successfully, there are steps you have to follow.

Lease or Buy the Following Tools

Since you are planning on replacing the weather stripping on your own garage door, it is important to have the right equipment. The first option is to buy the tools, and the second is to lease it from the local store.

Buying tools has its own advantages. For starters, you equip your home with the necessary tools to tackle future problems. Also, it’s cheaper in the long term.

If you lease, it’s cheaper on short term but, if the tools get damaged, you might have to reimburse the store owner. This is will be expensive.

Here’s what you need:

• Cordless drill and bits
• Screws
• Utility knife
• Protective eyewear, gloves, and headgear
• Silicone-based lubricant
• Vice grip pliers

With the right tools, it’s time to shop for the garage door weather stripping.

Buying Garage Weather Stripping

The first thing you need to do is to find out the type of garage door you have. In general, the vast majority of garage doors have a two-part seal. This consists of an extruded metal piece and a U-shaped weather stripping insert.

You may also find that your garage door seal is available as a single piece. To ensure that you have the right replacement garage door seal, we recommend you take the old piece and head to the local store. At the store, present the piece of the garage door seal to an expert or store owner.

They will take a look and recommend the best replacement for your garage door. Remember, you have the choice of taking a picture as well. This allows the store owner or salesperson to match it with the right replacement.

Replacing the Garage Door Weather Stripping 

Now that you have bought the right garage door weather stripping replacement, it’s time to get to work. Start by raising your garage door to a height that is convenient for you to work on. If your door is not electric, secure it using a pair of vice grips.

You may find that the old garage door seal is stuck to the door. To loosen it, apply the silicone-based lubricant and allow it to sit for a minute. Once this is done, start removing the old weather stripping.

Weather stripping is attached by barbed ribs. To remove it, pull it off. You can clean the retainer before installing the new weather stripping.

When you install weather stripping, it’s nice to have a helper. One person will guide the stripping through the retainer, while the other inserts using vice grip pliers.

If any is left hanging, cut it using a utility knife. Remember, allow the weather stripping to rest naturally in the retainer.

Garage Door Bottom Seal Replacement – What’s Next?

Now that you have replaced your garage door’s weather stripping, your next project could be replacing the rotting door trim. After that, you can clean the rusty door track. Remember, taking care of your garage door extends its lifespan.

It also protects your home from intruders and weather elements.

Looking for a garage door company that installs and repairs them professionally? Premier Door Corp can help. Contact us today!