| |
Project Difficulty:
Easy
Estimated
Project Time: 1-1/2 hours
|
|
| |
| Tools and Materials: |
|
Stepladder
Locking pliers or 2x4
Hammer
Small pry bar, as needed
Primer or paint, and a brush, as needed
Measuring tape
Utility knife or sharp scissors
Galvanized roofing nails, as needed
Bottom and exterior garage door weatherstripping
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
Garages aren’t very energy-efficient places, but that was okay back when all we did was park our cars there. Today’s garages, however, aren’t just for parking. They’re active living, workshop, laundry, and storage areas, so making them more energy-efficient also means making them more comfortable. This is one homeowner project with big payoffs for very little cost; it's easy to do and requires only basic tools.
Which Weatherstripping?
The hardware store will offer dozens of weatherstripping choices, but what you’re looking for are two types of kits: (1) the garage door bottom seal and (2) a flexible rubber or vinyl flange style that goes around the outside garage door frame. The bottom seal--sometimes called a gasket--is either nailed to the bottom of the door or will fit into an aluminum channel on the door. The nail-it-on kind is easy to find. The channel style, however, can require some searching because you need an exact replacement that will fit properly, so take a piece along when shopping.
Flange-style weatherstripping for around the door frame is usually easy to find, comes in either white or brown, and can be painted. Some products are flexible, while others have one flexible and one rigid vinyl side that looks like traditional wood molding.
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
1.
Install the Bottom Seal
Stop the door opener’s action with the door at a convenient working height, and keep it open with a locking pliers attached to the track or a 2x4 prop. Remove the old door bottom weatherstripping and any nails with your hammer and pry bar. (If the weatherstripping fits in an aluminum channel, simply slide it out at one end and replace it with a new piece--you’re done!) Garage doors take a lot of abuse from the weather, so if the door bottom is bare wood, seal it with a coat of paint or primer before attaching new weatherstripping. With a utility knife or sharp scissors, cut the new weatherstripping to the full width of the door and attach with the thicker or tapered side facing out towards the driveway. Usually nails are supplied with the weatherstripping, but if not, use galvanized roofing nails--their wide heads hold the rubber securely. (Fig. 1)
|
|
2.
Attach the Top Weatherstripping
You’ll be working from the outside, so close the garage door. Measure between the jambs--the door’s outside framework--and then cut a piece of weatherstripping to match using a utility knife or sturdy scissors. Press it snugly against the door face and nail it in place using the kit’s supplied nails. Check the door operation to make sure it’s not too snug before driving in all the nails. (Fig. 2)
|
|
3.
Attach the Side Weatherstripping
|
Measure and cut two pieces of weatherstripping for the sides. Where the ends butt against the top weatherstripping, use a utility knife or file to trim off a triangular piece off the flange at the top to bevel the plastic to make a tighter fit. Nail in place, but test the action a few times before driving in all the nails because it’s possible to attach the weatherstripping so tightly that it interferes with door operation. (Fig. 3)
As Long as You’re Out Here
Garage doors with their electric openers are a modern home’s true front door. They get a lot of use but very little attention. Don’t consider this weatherstripping project complete until you’ve checked and adjusted garage door operation, opening and closing tension, obstruction sensors, and other features. Check the owner's manual for details. Lubricate and adjust chains, rollers and channels. Old electric door openers without automatic reversing sensors are dangerous, so think about replacing them--it’s not a difficult project.
|
|
|
|
