There are many types of garage door bottom seals available today. This particular part of your garage door is responsible for sealing the bottom of your garage door, which prevents leaves, dirt, and pests from entering your garage under the door.
Over time, the bottom seal may become weathered or damaged and need replacement.
Today, we’re taking a look at the many types of garage door bottom seals so you know which type you might need should your seal need replacing.
Types Of Garage Door Bottom Seals
There are a variety of garage door bottom seals available, including those for residential and commercial garage door installations. Below, you will find an overview of some of the most popular types of garage door bottom seals.
Before we get into the types of seals, it’s important to understand what a bottom seal actually does.
Are they Important?
Firstly, what’s the function of the bottom seal? Simply put, it’s to seal up the bottom of the door. No matter how well the concrete in your garage has been laid, it will never be totally level. Because of this, you need a seal on your garage door in order to seal it totally.
That seal needs to be in place to stop anything from getting into your door. When you get bad weather and storms, it’ll stop water and debris from coming in.
The bottom seal of your garage door can also play an essential role in preventative rodent control by stopping mice and rats in their tracks.
Some seals are also insulated, ensuring that your garage stays at a comfortable temperature. If you’re looking to replace your seal, then an insulated one may be best for you if you use your garage often. It’s amazing how much heat they keep in, making your garage perfect for hobbies or work.
A Closer Look at Door Seals
Which type of seal do you have on the bottom of your garage door? There are several different types, that have their advantages and disadvantages. Here are the types that you’ll most often see:
Brush seals: As the name implies, these seals are a brush that sits on the bottom of the garage door. You won’t often see these on residential garage doors, as they’re more commonly used in commercial properties.
Bulb shape: These seals have a rounded bottom on them, while the top section, which fits onto the garage door, is a T shape.
Beaded seals: This seal is T shaped and is most commonly used for doors with double channel retainers with circular grooves.
J type seals: Again as the name suggests, these seals are J shaped. They’re used for doors with single-channel retainers.
T type seals: These work in a similar manner to beaded seals, forming a T shape on both sides and are used with double channel retainers.
Bottom Seal Alternatives
There are a couple of different seal types you can use on your garage door, depending on your needs. The first is a threshold seal. These are different from regular seals as they attach to the garage floor, rather than the garage door itself. They’re a good option if you’re having problems with water or debris coming into your garage. They come in various sizes and strengths and are designed to easily withstand the weight of a car. You won’t have to worry about driving your car over it every day, as it’ll still hold up.
The other seal you can try is a reverse angle mount seal. These seals resemble a giant ‘u’ in shape. They seal at the bottom of the door, and the seal itself runs up the sides of the door. The garage door fits snugly inside the seal. These are again usually found on commercial garage doors.
Maintaining Your Garage Door Bottom Seal
Like most other things on your garage door, you’ve got to maintain your seal in order to keep it working as intended. If it’s left to wear out, then it’ll allow things you don’t want into your garage, causing more problems down the line. Inspect it regularly, along with the rest of your garage door.
When you’re looking at your garage door bottom seal, you’re looking for any signs of wear and tear. If you notice a draft coming in from under the garage door, that’s a sign that the seal is cracked and not working as it should. You should also look for any signs of breakage or wear in the seal itself. If it’s buckling or coming off the door, that’s a sign that it needs replacing.
Luckily, you can replace that seal yourself. To do this, you’ll need to first remove the seal that’s on the door. Turn off your garage door opener, to ensure that the door shouldn’t move when you’re working on it. This will keep you safe. It’s quite simple to slide out the existing track. You may need to remove the ends of the track on the bottom of the door first, but once you’ve done that you can simply remove the old seal.
Now you’ve done this, you’ll need to get a new seal. Take a look at the manufacturer’s information for your door. It should tell you what kind of seal you need to buy. If you’re not sure, get in touch with the company that installed your door to find out.
Clean down the bottom of your garage door before you get to installing the new seal. All you’ll need is a rag and a household cleaner, just be careful not to pinch your fingers when you do this. Allow the door to dry, and then install the new seal. There will usually be instructions with the seal to show you how this is done. Usually, you’ll just need to slide the new seal into the track. Use a few drops of dish soap to grease it, if needed.
Taking Care Of Your Seals
If you want your new bottom seal to last for as long as possible, you’ll need to take care of it. Firstly, you’ll need to inspect it often for any signs of wear. Look for cracks or holes where pests may have chewed their way in. Replace it when needed, and if you’re ever unsure, call in a garage repair expert to help you.
Your garage door bottom seal is more important than you’d think, so take good care of it, and replace it when needed. With a good seal, you’ll be able to keep the elements out of your garage year-round.