How to Replace a Garage Door Seal

A defective garage door seal will allow many unwanted things to get into your garage. For example, a defective or missing seal will allow dirt, debris, dust, rain, and snow to get in. They are a way for insects and pests into your home, and defective seals increase the cost cooling or heating. Installing a garage door seal is relatively easy, and there are many types of seal kits available. Here is a handy step-by-step guide to help you install a new garage door seal.

Step 1 - Choose a Garage Door Seal Kit

Before you purchase a garage door seal kit, you need to determine what type of seal is best for your garage. Most commonly available door seal kits are for use with regular untreated concrete and will generally not work well with asphalt, gravel, painted, or damaged surfaces. Research what type of door seal is best for your garage, and possibly consider consulting a specialist at your local home improvement center. They should be able to advise you on the best type of garage door seal kit for your particular garage.

Step 2 - Prepare the Garage Area

You need to make sure that you thoroughly cleaned the garage door and the floor area of the garage where the dorm meets the floor. Use a good quality degreasing soap and warm water to scrub the area and make sure that is free of dirt and debris that might hamper the door seal kit installation. Allow the area to dry completely before continuing.

Step 3 - Measure and Mark

Follow the installation instructions that come with the kit to determine the appropriate position for the garage door seal strip. In most cases, you'll need to make sure that your garage door seal strip lines up with the tracks of your garage door. Once the seal strip has been properly aligned, you'll need to cut away any excess seal strip with your utility knife and make sure that the garage door opens and closes freely without obstruction.

If you have positioned this history correctly, the garage door should roll down normally and come to rest where the flat part of the seal strip is facing downward and the beveled or raised part of the strip is inside your garage.

Step 4 - Measure for the Outside Seal

Once you're satisfied that the garage door closes correctly, use your pencil to outline the seal strip that is located inside the garage door. Remove the strip and follow the directions for applying adhesive in the area inside the pencil lines. Then follow the same procedures to place and secure the outer door seal strip.

Step 5 - Cleanup

After you have applied the seal strips with the adhesive, be sure to wipe away any excess or extra adhesive that oozes out from under the seal strips. Be certain that the strip is inside the pencil lines before the glue dries and hardens.

Step 6 - Allow to Dry

Close your garage door and allow it to remain closed for a period of 24 to 48 hours. Do not release the garage door pressure before this time. It may cause the adhesive to fail and not keep the door seal securely in place. There may be times that your garage door no longer lines up properly with garage door locks. If this is the case, follow the garage door manufacturer's instructions to change the present position for the locks.