If you experience cold drafts in your home during the winter and sealing the doors and windows to your home hasn't solved the problem, the culprit may be your garage door. Cold air can leak in around the garage door and whisk its way through the house, leaving you wondering where it is coming from. Winterizing the garage door may cut down on cold drafts and lower your energy bills too.
Assess Your Garage Door
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Open and close the door to check that it is functioning properly and fits snugly against the floor in the closed position.
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To check for leaks around your garage door, close the door and turn off the light in the garage. Examine the sides of the door for light shining in from the outside. If you can see sunlight, cold air can leak in around the door.
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Hold a lit candle near the door frame. If the flames flicker there is air coming in around the frame of the door, even if you cannot see light from the outside.
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Open the garage door part way and visually inspect the seal on the bottom of the door. If the seal is cracked or feels brittle to the touch, it needs replacing. The seal should be soft and pliable so that it will fit snugly and block out cold air. Stand to the side while you inspect the door and never stand directly under the open door as you can suffer serious injuries if the door accidentally closes.
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Check the concrete at the point where the door meets the floor. While it is normal to show some wear and tear, if it is uneven with raised areas, there is a good chance cold air is seeping in when the door is closed. Severely damaged floors may need to be replaced, but you can compensate for uneven areas with a new threshold seal.
Weatherizing the Door
Now that you have identified the areas where cold air is entering your garage, it is time to gather the supplies for weatherizing the door.
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Purchase weather stripping for garage doors and cut it to the lengths you need for sealing the perimeter of the door. If the entire door needs weather stripping, purchase a kit for the door. Garage door weather stripping kits have one large strip of weather stripping designed for around the door. You can purchase one or two door kits. Be sure to measure your garage door to ensure that you buy the correct size for your garage door.
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Add a threshold seal to the concrete where the garage door meet the floor. Threshold seals adhere to the concrete with liquid adhesive applied with a caulking gun. Some kits include the caulking gun and adhesive, but check the contents of the box to make sure. Read and follow the instructions carefully and always double check your placement and measurements before you adhere the threshold seal to the floor.
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Replace the U-shaped door seal on the bottom of the garage door. You can purchase this seal in a kit that includes the track and the screws for installing the door seal. Read and follow instructions carefully to avoid mishaps.
Tips:
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The garage door isn't the only area in your garage that needs weatherizing. Check other doors and windows for air leaks, too.
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Keep the area at the bottom of the garage door free of dirt, snow and ice. This can interfere with you door sealing properly even after replacing seals and weather stripping.
Spending an afternoon weatherizing the garage door may stop those frosty drafts from creeping into your home and save you a few dollars on you heating bill too. For more information on garage doors, check out a company like Overhead Door Of Akron.
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