How to Seal a Garage Door Correctly [Top, Bottom, & Sides]

A garage door creates an important barrier for houses because it keeps out unwanted guests, elements, and noise when it’s been correctly sealed.

How can you tell if you need to add a seal to your garage door?

Your garage door needs to be sealed on the floor, top, and sides. You should measure the garage door on each side and install the seal according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

If you take the time to do this right, you can improve the energy efficiency of your garage and reduce issues of pests.

There are a few different things that you can do to seal a garage door effectively. Let’s go over them.

Sealing a Garage Door at the Bottom

The best thing you can do to check if your garage door needs new seals is to wait for it to be sunny. Once it’s sunny out, go out to your garage, shut all doors, and turn off all lights. If you can see sunlight coming through the garage door, your seal needs to be replaced.

There are several options to think about if you’re in need of a new bottom seal.

Garage Floor Seals

The fastest way to make a barrier on your garage door is to install a threshold seal (link to Amazon). These seals close the gap that forms between the floor and the garage door without producing a tire or trip hazard.

The best way to install a garage door threshold seal is to make an outline on the garage floor where the door sits. A permanent marker or chalk is the best way to make this outline. Avoid using tape because it can cause interference when you go to install the seal.

After you’ve outlined it, lift the garage door, then install the threshold seal to the garage floor according to the instructions. Once the floor seal has been installed correctly, lower the door.

Garage Door Bottom Seals

A door bottom seal attaches to the bottom of the garage door. Many products use adhesive to affix the seal to the bottom of the door. You can purchase a universal bottom seal (link to Amazon) or purchase seals specifically for your door from the manufacturer.

Ensure that you clean the garage door before installing the new seal; any debris or dirt that gets between the door and the seal will adversely affect its integrity.

Sealing the Sides of a Garage Door

Gaps in garage door sides happen because of regular wear-and-tear, structural shifting, damage, and framing issues.

The best option for sealing the sides of a garage door is to use weather stripping (link to Amazon). After you’ve chosen the right product for your garage door, take measurements of the door jamb to get the correct door measurement.

After you’ve cut the weatherstripping to the right length, install the weatherstripping with a rubber adhesive.  

Pro Tip: It’s also helpful to install a brush seal kit (link to Amazon) on the inside of the door. This can further reduce air infiltration. Every little bit helps.

Sealing the Top of a Garage Door

To keep unwanted pests and noise from your garage, you have to seal the top of the garage door. You’ll be able to tell if sealing the top of your door is needed because sunlight will shine through any gaps on the top of your garage door when it’s not properly sealed.

The weatherstripping used on the sides will work in most cases but many people prefer to use actual garage door top seals. This is because it conforms to the garage door to create a seal, arguably better than the weatherstripping.

After installing one of these seals, you’ll start to notice improvements in the garage’s temperature.

The best installation of a top seal is to install the product to the top frame of your garage door. If you install the seal to the door itself, it can break off in the rollers, springs, or rails, which can cause significant damage.

Why It’s Important To Seal Your Garage Doors

A properly sealed garage door keeps unwanted pests and weather out of your garage. After installing a seal to the garage door, the inside of the garage will retain heat and cold air better, which creates a comfortable environment.

When a garage has a regulated temperature, it helps the other rooms in your home have the same regulated temperature. This all means that you might find your utility expenses drop by around 20 percent.

Adding a seal to a garage door can even provide sound dampening for people who live in a loud area or does loud work inside the garage.

Conclusion

How to seal a garage door from the inside is a question that pops up a lot, and there some easy things that you can do to accomplish the sealing of a garage door from the inside.

To create the best seal, you need to add seals to the top, bottom, or sides of your garage door, depending on where the gaps are. Remember: the best way to tell if your garage door needs to be sealed is to see where the sunlight comes in. This will show you where you need to add a seal.

Adding a garage door seal can help keep pests, elements, and people out of your garage.

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