Garage Door Repair 101: Fixing the Bottom Seal
The bottom seal on your garage door primarily serves two functions: it protects the bottom of your garage door when you lower it to the floor, and it provides a seal against animals and weather. Overtime, the rubber materials will wear out, creating tiny openings that allow dirt, debris, and rainwater to blow into the garage.
Considering how much water Rancho Cordova gets during the rainy season, you definitely want to make sure your garage door bottom seal is in good shape. If it’s worn with holes for weather and animals to get in, you’ll need to replace it. You could hire a professional, or with a few inexpensive supplies and a couple of hours in an afternoon, fix it yourself. It is a fairly easy DIY household repair job.
Measure the Door
Start by measuring the length of the door. You’ll want to purchase a gasket seal that has at least six inches more than the length of the door.
Removing Old Seal, Installing the New
- Raise the door high enough to work on the bottom seal.
- Use a screwdriver to pry open the slots of the track on either end of the garage door.
- Straighten the tracks to make it easier to remove the old seal and add the new.
- Pull the old seal off the door. If it doesn’t slide easily, cut it into pieces using a utility knife.
- Clean the bottom of the door. Remove debris from the tracks holding the weatherstripping.
- Coat both sides of the track with a silicone spray, or a soapy water mixture, to lubricate the track.
- Fold the new seal in half. Slide the seal across both sides of the track, pushing the bottom three inches beyond the end of the track. Cut the extra three inches of the seal.
And congratulations for a job well done. If you should ever need any help, just give us a call. We offer same day and emergency service.
Weatherizing for an Extreme Storm
California gets some pretty nasty storms in the winter, which is why a working garage door bottom seal is so important. But it’s just the beginning. In the face of a serious storm, say a hurricane, tornado, or other natural disaster, will your garage be able to withstand?
That’s why you should consider fortifying your door in the face of extreme weather. Cover the windows and add tape to keep them from shattering. Place sandbags around the base of your door to prevent flooding.
If you expect extreme weather, attach a 2×4 to the concrete using concrete screws to further fortify your door. Add further boards to the single board to provide additional support. Construct support brackets from 2x4s and add them to the top and bottom of the garage door. Finally, unplug the garage door to prevent it from opening while the braces are in place. Heavy winds could cause it to otherwise kick open.