Garage door weatherstripping is an essential component for maintaining a well-sealed and energy-efficient garage. By creating a tight seal around the edges of the door, weatherstripping a garage door helps keep out drafts, moisture, pests, and debris. Whether you’re dealing with extreme temperatures, heavy rain, or high winds, properly installed weatherstripping can enhance comfort, protect stored belongings, and even reduce energy costs. Ensuring your garage door is properly sealed can make a noticeable difference in both functionality and long-term durability.

What is Garage Door Weatherstripping?

Garage door weatherstripping refers to the flexible materials installed along the edges of a garage door to create a barrier against external elements. It typically includes bottom seals, side seals, and top seals, which work together to close gaps and prevent air or water infiltration. Weatherstripping materials vary, with options such as rubber, vinyl, and foam, each designed to provide durability and a secure fit. Over time, weatherstripping can wear out and require replacement to maintain its effectiveness.

Why is Garage Door Weatherstripping Important?

Proper weatherstripping plays a crucial role in improving energy efficiency by preventing heated or cooled air from escaping the garage. This is especially beneficial for attached garages, where temperature fluctuations can affect the rest of the home. Additionally, weatherstripping helps protect against water intrusion, reducing the risk of mold, rust, or structural damage. It also acts as a barrier against dust, dirt, and small pests that could enter through unsealed gaps. By maintaining a tight seal, weatherstripping helps extend the life of your garage door and enhances overall home comfort. Regular inspections and timely replacements ensure continued protection and efficiency.

As a garage door gets older, it becomes increasingly important to inspect the weatherstripping for natural wear and tear, cracks, and other damages that may make it less effective. When completing the inspection and determining next steps, keep in mind the location of the weatherstripping around your door as it will dictate the type of weatherstripping present and the appropriate method of replacement, if needed.

Weatherstripping the Sides and Top of Garage Doors

The sides and top of a garage door use the same type of weatherstripping, but the design differs between older and newer garage door models.

Older Models (20+ years old): Many old garage door models have a wood stop that goes around the top and sides of the door instead of weatherstripping. Oftentimes, garage door professionals will recommend removing that wood stop and replacing it with a vinyl stop that has built-in weatherstripping. Vinyl stops are available in various colors and can even be painted to match the color of your door. There are also two different sizing options, 2 ½- or 3 ½-inches wide, so you can find the fit that gives your garage door a seamless appearance.

Newer Models (10 years old or less): New garage door models are likely to have the vinyl stops with weatherstripping installed along the garage door. The primary focus with these models is regularly inspecting for cracked or worn weatherstripping. When these issues are present and/or you can feel a draft coming from around your door, it’s time to replace the weatherstripping.

Weatherstripping the Bottom of Garage Doors

Bottom weatherstripping is its own unique design. Nowadays most residential garage door replacements have a metal or plastic retainer attached to the bottom of the door that the weatherstripping slides into.

If during your inspection you notice the weatherstripping at the bottom of your door has become stiff or no longer seals to the floor, consider a replacement. Replacing a garage door’s bottom weatherstripping is a task that can often be completed by do-it-yourselfers. The steps are not dangerous or overly complicated – with some basic mechanical skills, a DIYer can likely get the job done. However, you should be aware of these likely situations you may run into when replacing your weatherstripping…

Situation #1: You cannot use just any weatherstrip as your replacement piece because each door brand has a specific retainer profile, meaning the corresponding stripping is the only kind that can fit inside.
Solution: Know your garage door’s brand and model to find the weatherstripping that is designed for that specific retainer.

Situation #2: Don’t be fooled by how easy it is for the old and worn weatherstripping to slide out of its retainer. The hard part is getting the new weatherstripping to slide back into the retainer.
Solution: Use soapy water and the help of a second person to slide the new weatherstripping into place.

Situation#3: When your door is closed and you can still see light peeking in from under the bottom corners, it’s probably because you have an unlevel floor. The uneven concrete prevents your door’s weatherstripping from properly sealing the entire length of the garage floor.
Solution: Pick up foam back rod from the hardware store. Insert a 12” piece into the weatherstrip loop.  This round piece of foam will add more length to the portions of your bottom weatherstripping that aren’t meeting the ground.

Situation #4: When water is leaking into your garage from underneath the door, it is an indicator that you may need an additional threshold to stop the water.
Solution: Storm Shield Threshold Weather Seal can be glued to the garage floor. This black piece of flexible PVC (as seen in the diagram below) acts like a tiny dam preventing water from entering your garage. This product is made for garages and is safe for cars to drive over.

Choose the Omaha Garage Door Weatherstripping Experts

ODW has a lot of experience working with weatherstripping. We can help you assess your situation and find the type of weatherstripping you need, even if the make and model of your garage door has been discontinued. We sell the parts for you to DIY, or we can take care of the entire replacement for you if you’d prefer to leave it to the pros. Either way, you can contact us for all your garage door weatherstripping needs.