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Don’t Overlook the Importance of Your Garage Door Seals

Looking for a quick upgrade to your garage door? Take a look at your garage door seal. When it comes to repair vs. replacement for your garage door, the seal around your door can sometimes make a huge difference. Here’s what you need to know about your garage door seal.

The Importance of Your Garage Door Seals

Also known as weatherstripping and astragal, the sealant that wraps around your entire overhead door does a lot for the maintenance and safety of your home. Its purpose is to keep critters, insects, moisture and even cold air out of the entrance it seals.

A proper garage door weather seal can keep your energy bills low by reducing your home’s draftiness — an essential part of surviving the winter or summer months.

Each part of the nylon, rubber or vinyl seal is important. The garage door bottom seal protects the surface of your garage floor and can fill an uneven gap on the floor. Meanwhile, the sides help prevent mold and mildew, humidity and precipitation.

These superhero weather protections are typically made of a nylon or rubber seal and attach to your door with a retainer. A retainer is the metal part of your garage door that holds the seal in place. It can be L, C or tongue-and-groove shaped depending on the door.

Types of Garage Door Seals

Each garage door threshold seal has its own unique qualities, characteristics and uses. Here’s a small overview to help you in your search for a solution.

J-Type Seals

A J-type seal gets its name from the shape it makes when the door is closed. These types of seals work best with doors that have single-channel retainers.

T-Type Seals

If you have an uneven floor surface and need protection on both sides of the door when it’s closed, a T-type seal will be your best option. It can easily fill small, uneven gaps on the floor and ensure moisture, critters and the elements keep away from your home.

Beaded-type seals

With a double-channel retainer or a door with circular grooves, you may need a bead end seal. This is perfect for completely flat garage floors. They’re typically around three inches wide when flat and have a ribbed outer surface. Beaded-type seals help prevent your garage floor from freezing in the winter.

Brush-type seals

A brush seal is typically found on the sides of garage doors, have incredible durability and look like the ends of a broom. They’re used in high-frequency areas or doors that bend and flex. The brushes help in sound transfer.

Professionally made and installed vs. store-bought DIY

When it comes to home improvement, many are tempted to DIY each part of the project. Working on a garage door yourself can get tricky with its many parts. Choosing the wrong garage door seal could ruin its operation and the safety of your home.

Along with the type, seals have different sizes and shapes depending on the type and age of your garage door. A cheap, thin seal could damage your garage door and deplete its longevity. When your garage door closes, the springs do their best to ensure a soft landing, but they should also be protected when landing on hard surfaces.

Just like many other features throughout your home, your garage door needs the right equipment to do its job on a continuous basis. A garage door works hard to maintain the safety of your home, and an Amarr dealer can help ensure you have the needed parts for garage door seal durability and safety.

How to Maintain Your Garage Door Seals

Maintenance of your garage door and weatherproofing seal includes ensuring the material remains pliable. Here are three tips:

• Add some silicone-based lubricant to the seal every three months to ensure its longevity.
• Check on your garage door every month or so for signs of wear and tear.
• Spray the seal with a shower cleaner, let it sit for a few minutes and come back to wipe it down for debris.

Like every part of your home, overhead door seals are prone to wear and tear. Heavy load, friction and weather stripping can break down the material. Typically, you can get around two years or more out of your garage door seals with proper maintenance.

You’ll know it’s time to replace the weather seal on your garage door when the rubber gets very stiff, cracked or begins disintegrating. In this case, you’ll know it’s time to call in an Amarr garage door technician to work on your door, check on the seal and ensure the largest door in your home is working at its best.

Call Your Amarr Dealer Today for Help with Replacing Your Seals

Your garage door keeps your home safe from crime, critters and critical weather conditions; this includes having a durable, protective garage door seal in place. Locate your nearest Amarr door dealer today to set an appointment for your seal to be serviced or replaced.