Does Garage Door Weather Stripping Lose Strength Over Time?

Along with weather stripping around door and window frames, installing weather stripping around your home’s garage door can cut your energy bill by 10-15%. Not only that, but weather stripping will also keep out insects, rodents, and other pests, and keep rain water from pooling at the bottom of the door. Most important, sealing up gaps will extend the life of the door itself and reduce the need for garage door repairs. 

All types of weather stripping will shrink, crack, and pull away from surfaces over time. Garage door weather seals are no exception. The things that they are designed to keep out are also the very same things that contribute to wear and tear. A good habit to get into is to check the seals around your garage door each year before it gets too cold.

Seals for the top and sides of a garage door take the form of flexible neoprene rubber strips with a crease down the center, giving them a V shape. These can be applied using nails or staples. Of course, eventually they becomes dirty, warped, and may pull loose from the wooden frame around the door. 

Something else to keep an eye on is the weather strip along the bottom of your garage door. This may be a rubber or vinyl track applied to the floor below the door, or a U-shaped rubber or vinyl sleeve that slides onto the bottom of the door itself. It serves a dual purpose of keeping the door from making direct contact with the floor while creating a tight seal against the elements, as well as pesky animals and insects. As it gets older, it will warp and bunch up, allowing debris to accumulate and make the seal less effective. 

The staff at Town & Country Door, LLC can take care of that old, cracked weather stripping for you, no matter how extensive the damage is. We can handle any garage door repair, big or small, so contact us today for a free quote!