Garage Door Bottom Seal Replacement

This article explains the steps that you will need to follow to replace a garage door bottom seal. The seal helps prevent water and debris from creeping the floor of the house when the outside of the house is inundated with water. It prevents all kinds of insects and rats from entering the garage and spoiling the items stored there. It prevents drafts of wind from coming in and lowering the temperature of the garage. Some garages also have a metal strip mounted at the bottom of the door. A rubber seal is used which becomes cracked and dry as it is subject to temperature variations over a period of time. The rubber seal should be changed as soon as you notice that is there any wear and tear in it.

Step 1: Buy

Take a look at the size and type of your previous rubber seal, also known as the weather seal. Make a note of the number of screws and their size. Elevate the garage door to a height where you can easily take measurements. Check the breadth and length of the garage door with the help of a measuring tape and add one inch to each side to allow for any adjustment. Then, note the width of the bottom of the garage door as well as that of the gasket.

Go to the local hardware store and purchase the required items. Ensure that you have the required tools like a screwdriver, safety goggles, a tape measure, and scissors.

Step 2: Remove Old Seal

You can find a very long sleeve along which there are two grooves facing one another situated underlying the garage door. The weather seal is inside this dent and is held in place with screws. Take out the screws with the screwdriver. The old seal should now be out of its housing unit.

Step 3: Install New Seal

The new seal now needs to slide into the existing bracket sleeve. Place one side of the seal near the end of the garage door and the other end of the seal near the other end of the garage door. This should go one inch beyond the door ends. Put the seal in with the help of screws that are evenly spaced out. Try and make use of the existing screw holes that are there. If there is any extra length of the seal at either side of the door, cut it off with the help of a sharp knife. While doing this, ensure that you do not damage the door in any way.

Step 4: Check

Check that the seal does not interfere with the movement of the door when it is moved up or down. Also, check that there is no space for any rats to get in. You can also check the garage door on a windy whether there is any draft of air that is coming in through the bottom of the garage door.