Your garage door’s weatherstripping is often forgotten when it comes to garage door maintenance but it is actually quite important and deserves as much attention as your door’s working parts. Weatherstripping is normally made of PVC and is fitted around the sides and bottom of the door.
When correctly installed weatherstripping should successfully do the following:
- help regulate temperature in the garage and inside your home
- prevent water and rain from entering
- stop dirt and debris from getting inside
- Assist with keeping pests like mice out
Many homeowners don’t understand how vital it is to have proper weatherstripping around their door. If a well insulated door is important to you, there is no way that you can neglect the weatherstripping. You could have a very highly insulated door but without weatherstripping that is in good condition and properly installed, your door’s insulation won’t mean much. You can’t keep the cold air out with cracks and gaps all around the door!
If you invest in a good quality weatherstrip, it should be able to last a few years before it will need replacing. Low quality weatherstripping may need to be replaced as often as yearly. How the weatherstripping has been installed is also very important. If incorrectly installed, it can rub and tear and possibly lead to issues with the door’s operation.
How do you know when to replace the weatherstripping on your garage door?
A quick inspection can determine if your weatherstripping is in need of being replaced. You should carry out regular garage door maintenance twice yearly and the weatherstripping should be one of the components of your door that you check while doing this. Here are some signs to look for;
- Tears, cracking, flaking.
- Visible gaps at the sides or bottom of the door.
- You can see light shining through the bottom or sides of the door when it is closed.
- Water is making its way inside.
- Dirt and debris build up in the garage even when the door is kept closed.
- Can feel drafts coming in through the sides and bottom of the door.
- Weatherstripping appears dried out.
- Weatherstripping has become brittle and is breaking up.
- Animals have entered. Look for signs such as droppings.
If any of these are apparent, you should have your garage door weatherstripping replaced. Although weatherstripping is not difficult to replace, it can be beneficial to have a professional do it for you. This way you can be confident that it has been done properly and you won’t have to deal with any problems from incorrectly installed weatherstripping. Call The Door Master today to install new weatherstipping!