Introduction to Garage Door Weather Seals: What kind of seal goes where?

With all of the options and choices out there to seal your garage its hard to know exactly what seal you need. Weather Seals for a garage are important because they prevent the outside elements from getting into your garage. Furthermore, weather seals protect the important belongings in your garage while keeping drafts from coming in which can save you money on your energy bills. There are a great many reasons to have a good protective seal around your garage, North Shore Commercial Door is here to help you figure out exactly what you need to secure your garage door from the elements. We'll go over the main types of garage door seals and where each one fits on the garage.

Bottom of the Garage Door

Bottom seals

A garage door bottom seal or bottom weather seal is a crucial component of a garage door system weather sealing system. This specialized seal is the piece of rubber or vinyl, typically U-shaped but can also be bulb shaped.  Usually the bottom of a garage door has one or two channels that a weather seal and be fed into. When the door closes the U or bulb shape flattens out creating a superior seal between your garage door and the ground. Sometimes a bottom seal can be attached using what's called a retainer. Usually made of plastic or aluminum the retainer can be fixed to the bottom of a garage door using bolts or screws. Does your bottom seal have cracks or remain flattened even when the door is open? It's time for a replacement (see how in this article). Typically, depending on the climate you live in, a garage door bottom weather seal needs to be replaced about once a year. Environments that are especially cold or hot can make a weather seal deteriorate faster. 

Retainers

A bottom seal retainer attaches a bottom seal to the garage door. These aluminum strips have tracks into which the bottom seal fits. Is your retainer rusty or separating from the door? Before buying a new one, make sure the bottom seal will match the retainer tracks. Your best bet is to buy a bottom seal kit rather than separate parts.

Threshold

A garage door threshold doesn't attach to the door. Instead, it sits on the concrete where the door meets the ground. Thresholds keep water, rain, snow, dust, dirt and leaves out of your garage. (Do you DIY? Check out peel-and-stick thresholds).

Side and Top of the Garage Door

Jamb seal / stop molding seal

You'll find jamb seal mounted on the inside edge of the door jamb. The vinyl fin presses against the garage door to keep out air, moisture and pests. Some options are paintable or come in colors that will match your door (check out this video on installing Coiled DuraSeal).

Brush seal

Brush seals are durable and more effective than vinyl side seals. They slide into retainers for installation. You won't typically see brush seals on residential doors because of the aesthetic.

Need more information about how to seal your garage door?

Chat, call or email! Our weather seal experts are here to solve your garage door problems. Connect with our support team:

• Live chat: Click the green "Contact Us" button on the right
• Call: 800-783-6112
• Email: support@northshorecommercialdoor.com