Arguable the easiest DIY garage door repair out there, keeping your garage door’s weather stripping on point is simple, quick, and super-important. Weather stripping is what creates the seal around the sides and especially bottom of your garage door. It keeps your garage energy efficient, and keeps out weather, debris, bugs and other critters you’d rather not give a home to.
Weather stripping doesn’t last forever. It takes a beating over time, and you’ll notice it starts to slip out of the corners or gets grey and brittle – that’s the sign it’s time to let the old, raggedy stripping die. RIP.
Okay – let’s head to the hardware store.
4 Simple Steps to Replacing the Weather Stripping on Your Garage Door
The great thing about weather sealing is it’s a cut-to-measure situation – no specific stats or specs to deal with for this garage door part. You’ll easily be able to find the right stuff at your local Lowe’s/Home Depot/Menard’s/whatever. Grab a flathead screwdriver, measuring tape and a box cutter and you’re ready to go:
1. Remove the old weather stripping and bottom seal. Use the screwdriver to gently pry up each nail securing the old weather stripping. It’s not hard, but you should take your time to ensure you don’t damage anything else on the garage door.
2. Usually, stripping comes in 7 or 9-foot lengths. But it’s easy to cut a few inches here or there if you need to. Measure twice, though, as they say. Or you can just lay the old stripping on top of the new and cut to the same length. Work smart, not hard.
3. Install the new weather stripping! Start top down. Leave the nails halfway out for now.
4. Test your garage door. Adjust everything until it works smoothly and seals well on all sides. Punch all the nails the rest of the way in and voila! You’re done.
See? It couldn’t be easier.
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