Your garage doors are one of the main gateways into your home. And without the proper defenses, it can expose your living space to the elements and unwanted intruders.
You might be thinking, “This doesn’t concern me. My garage door comes equipped with weather seals.” As it turns out, the sealing on garage doors wears out over time, leaving your home vulnerable to various issues.
The solution? Sealing your garage door!
This involves weatherstripping, a process that promises to safeguard your home while minimizing energy costs. Here’s why you need to seal garage doors:
Enhanced Protection Against Water and Moisture
When rain or snow storms hit, the last thing you want is water seeping into your garage. Water leaks can damage items on your garage floor, promote mold growth, and compromise electronics and vehicles.
A well-sealed garage door with reliable weatherstripping is a robust barrier against water and moisture. It ensures that rain stays outside where it belongs, safeguarding your possessions and maintaining the integrity of your garage space.
Improved Energy Efficiency and Insulation
Drafts from poorly sealed garage doors allow cold air in winter and hot air in summer to infiltrate your space, making your heating and cooling systems work harder—this increased workload results in higher energy bills and more frequent maintenance.
Installing weatherstripping on your garage doors creates an airtight seal, minimizing the need for excessive heating or cooling. In turn, this leads to noticeable decreases in your energy bills and a more comfortable garage environment.
Weatherizing your home, including sealing the garage door, can save you an average of $283 annually in energy costs, according to a U.S. Department of Energy report. It’s a sure way of reducing your power bill.
Barrier Against Pests and Rodents
Unwanted intruders like insects and rodents find their way into homes through poorly sealed spaces, and garage doors are no exception. These pests carry diseases, damage property, contaminate food, and make our homes unhygienic.
Weatherstripping on your garage door is a formidable barrier, preventing vermin from accessing your home. Protecting your home from vermin preserves your peace of mind and prevents potential health hazards associated with insect and rodent infestations.
Reduced Wear and Tear on Garage Door
Your garage door undergoes constant movement and friction, which results in wear and tear over time. However, with reliable weatherstripping, your garage door receives additional protection.
Weatherstripping acts as a cushion that absorbs impacts, which minimizes the stress on your garage door’s structure. As a result, your garage door requires fewer repairs, saving you time and money in the long run. Think of sealing your garage door as a proactive measure to extend its lifespan and keep it functioning smoothly.
The Importance of Professional Garage Door Sealing
Sure, you could DIY your garage door seal, but sealing garage doors requires precision, high-quality materials, and a specialized skill set. Which is why it’s best to call in the big guns. Here are the benefits of hiring professional garage door sealing services:
Getting an Accurate Fit
One needs to take precise measurements of your garage doors while applying weatherproofing. Otherwise, the sealing will be ineffective. Even a tiny discrepancy can expose your garage to potential risks.
A professional will ensure an accurate fit, even if you’re conducting a complete garage door replacement project, eliminating gaps and vulnerabilities that could compromise the integrity of the seal.
Necessity of High-Quality Materials
Garage door sealing should be made with premium materials capable of withstanding constant friction and movement. Professionals are aware of this and will only use top-quality materials for weatherproofing. This ensures longevity and effectiveness, offering optimal protection for your home.
Relationship Between Door Sealing and Foundation Integrity
Simply applying weatherstripping without addressing foundation cracks can render the seal inadequate. Professionals understand the critical connection between door sealing and foundation integrity and will first assess and address any faults in the garage foundation to ensure a complete seal.
Understanding the Durability of Weatherstripping
While weatherstripping effectively seals garage doors, its durability depends on various factors. Read on to understand what they are and when to know it’s time to call in the professionals:
Understanding the Durability of Weatherstripping
The V-shaped neoprene rubber strips and U-shaped rubber or vinyl tracks on your garage door are designed to withstand daily use. Under normal wear and tear, weatherstripping typically lasts around two years. However, this varies depending on factors such as:
- Climate: Blistering summers and frigid winters take their toll on weatherstripping. The intense sun can dry and crack the rubber, while freezing temperatures make it brittle.
- Garage door usage: The more you open and close your garage door, the faster the weatherstripping wears. The door on a garage that’s been remodeled into a family game room will be opened fewer times compared to a garage used to park a daily-use car.
- Casing condition: Gaps or damage around the garage door casing puts extra strain on the weatherstripping, causing it to wear prematurely.
Identifying When Replacement Is Necessary
Watch out for these warning signs that it’s time for a weatherstripping upgrade:
- Cracks and tears: Cracked or torn weatherstripping leaves your garage vulnerable—visible damage around your garage door’s top, sides, and bottom signal wearing.
- Leaking: If you notice puddles near the inside of the door or moisture creeping under the garage door flashing (the metal barrier between the door and frame), your weatherstripping is likely failing.
- Incoming drafts: Drafts sneaking in under the door are a telltale sign of worn-out weatherstripping. Not only do they make your garage chilly, but they also force your heating and cooling systems to work overtime, driving up your energy bills.
- Gaps: If you can see daylight (or worse, creepy crawlies) peering through a gap between the door and the frame, it might be time to change the sealing.
- Bouncing back (or not): When you press down on the weatherstripping, it should spring back into place like a well-trained superhero. If it remains flattened or doesn’t bounce back, it’s lost its elasticity and needs to be replaced.
Remember, a timely weatherstripping replacement is a small investment that saves you big in the long run.
Will County Siding and Windows to the Rescue!
Are you looking to fortify your home against the elements? Then look no further than Will County Siding and Windows—your trusted experts with over 46 years of exceptional service in Joliet, IL, and the surrounding areas.
Our specialty in high-quality roofing, siding, and window installation guarantees our commitment to ensuring your home receives the best care possible. Call us at +1(815) 730-4700 or fill out this form for a free quote.
Remember, when you call, we install!