To some degree, every garage has it’s issues with dirt, water, and mouse droppings. But these problems can become especially bad if your garage door bottom seal is worn out. During rainstorms, it can let in water and dirt. It can also be an entry point for pests like mice, bugs, and other animals. Sometimes, the driveway under the doormat shifts and creates huge gaps in the door, which can also lead to leaked debris, dirt, and animal intruders.

That’s why an airtight seal on your garage door is so important. It keeps out the weather, flood water, and pests.

How the Type of Garage Door Affects Air Tight Seal

We find sectional garage doors provide the best air tight seal. These doors are made of huge solid panels that come down lower to form the door. When opened, sectional garage doors open up and lock like any other garage door. This leaves fewer seams between the garage door panels so less air escapes through the gaps.

Roller garage doors lower down from the garage ceiling and form a roll as opposed to a flat layout. The advantage to these doors is they are extremely compact when opened. But because there are more spaces between the panels, they are not the best for an airtight seal. Weather strips at the bottom of the door can improve the seal, but you’ll still have plenty of leaked air from the door itself.

Side hinged garage doors consist of two firm instrument panels that are established to the garage frame. The beauty of these doors is their low maintenance. The catch is they can be hard to open during the winter (unless you live in a warm climate like Sacramento, California where freezing isn’t a problem). Weather guard strips at the bottom of the garage door will provide an adequate seal.

Up and over garage doors have huge panels that can be difficult to make air tight. These doors cannot be opened automatically and will require an operator to physically lift up and down. The gaps can be laminated with flexible rubber trim or plastic trim as a membrane to ensure a seal.

Stay Safe

Sealing a garage door is a fairly easy DIY garage door repair but there are a few safety issues to keep in mind. First, take care of the exhalation that will be made while you are inside the garage.You’ll want to get a standard airing system to ensure you’re not poisoned by gases and other elements when you are working on your garage. Yes, having an airtight seal is what you are after, but not enough proper ventilation can be dangerous.

Finally, be careful what you store in the garage. Store chemicals in an enclosed box. Consider storing fuel, paints, and other gaseous elements in an outside tool shed. Containers will crack overtime and this can make a well sealed garage highly dangerous.

Consider Installing a New Door

Older doors can have cracks and openings that make maintaining a tighter seal difficult if not impossible. You may be better off installing an entirely new door. Give us a call. We can help advise you on the best new garage door and setup to ensure a well sealed garage. We’re always happy to help and have been proud neighbors of the Sacramento, California area for years.