Any size of a garage door gap is a welcome sign for opportunistic visitors. Wind, rain, and snow can enter through holes along the sides and top of the entrance, while openings along the floor can also bring in animals. Mice can fit through a dime-sized opening in a garage door. Rats don’t require anything larger than a quarter. Snakes should also not be overlooked.
Of course, you can despise gaps just for their appearance. In any case, fixing a garage door gap is far simpler than closing gaps in generations… or things like teeth. Learn how to handle straightforward DIY adjustments and when to hire a professional for more difficult garage door repairs.
The top and sides of the door have gaps.
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Examine the stops
Garage door stops, which are trim pieces that run along the bottom, sides, and top of the door opening, fill in the spaces between the edges and jambs of the door and serve as a weather seal thanks to a flexible flap or flange that overlaps the door when it is closed. Your stops likely need to be relocated (often closer to the door) or replaced if they’re not functioning properly.
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Examine the tracks
Check the vertical sections of the roller tracks on each side of the door; they should be plumb and retain the door at a constant distance from the side stops if the garage door stops appear to be in good condition but the door is out of plumb (not exactly vertical when closed) (assuming the stops themselves are plumb). On brackets with slit holes, the tracks are mounted. To get the door closer to the stops (and plumb), loosen the mounting bolts and move the tracks a little. Then, tighten the bolts again. The door needs some play, so take care not to go too far. If unsure, call a garage door specialist. We are an experienced garage door service provider in Menifee, CA, and the surrounding area.
Gaps Along the Door’s Bottom
Your choice of remedy will depend on the source of the gap between the garage door and the floor, which can be caused by a number of factors.
- If your garage door won’t close all the way, adjust
the limit switches.
Animals with the desire and urge to gnaw will easily take advantage of flexible garage door seals. Set the limit switches so that the seal between the bottom of the door and the floor is compressed to deter them. Limit switches, which regulate the door’s final position, are typically found above your opener. There are many different kinds of openers, so check your owners’ manual for information on your specific model.
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Change the seal
Due to age and typical wear and tear, the seal itself may be at fault. DIY replacement is not that difficult. Purchase a seal replacement kit from the company that makes your garage door or from a dependable provider online. Depending on the manufacturer, installation can be as easy as inserting screws into pre-drilled holes or more difficult, requiring you to feed the garage door seals along a channel or track. Manufacturers frequently suggest a specific lubricant to make the job go more smoothly if your sliding type.
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Make up for any settling in the garage’s framework, its floor, or both
Trim the door to follow the floor if it’s made of wood and the gap isn’t too big. The bottom door panel can be marked with a cut line by dragging a compass along the floor and using its pencil end to indicate the width of the widest part of the garage door gap (you can also use a wood block and carpenter’s pencil instead). The door should be cut with a jigsaw (safest for beginners) or a circular saw (for experienced DIY homeowners), then the cut end should be refinished and sanded before fresh weatherstripping is added.
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Weatherstripping should be replaced
Use one of two types of weatherstripping replacement to fix gaps along the floor on metal doors. The first is a bulb seal, which has a T-shaped spine at its top and is comparable to a very frail garden hose. The bottom edge of the door panel has a single groove into which the spine can slide. The second one has a U-shape and two top edges that fit into two-door channels. Make sure the weatherstripping is tall enough to fill the gap in your garage door. For bulb-type weatherstripping, use the widest diameter you can locate (measured when laid out flat).
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Increase the floor’s concrete density.
After being poured, concrete garage flooring frequently shifts or drops. Concrete slabs rarely move in even or parallel ways, therefore this might be problematic. To create a level, smooth surface for the garage door seals to rest on, add a layer of concrete.
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Put in a threshold for the garage door
Retailers of automotive parts and home shops offer threshold kits that include glue and a rubber threshold strip (plus sometimes a caulking gun). Simply use permanent glue to secure the threshold to the garage floor so that it touches it when the door is closed. ADVANTAGE: If your driveway slopes toward the garage, it closes any gaps in the garage door and prevents water from entering. ADVANTAGE: It acts as a small obstruction while sweeping or hosing items out of the garage.
Make a professional phone call. Call a specialist to adjust the garage door if it isn’t level or to replace it if the bottom panel is sagging.
Disclaimer: This articles is for information only. Please do not try to repair or replace your garage door without the help of a licensed professional.
