The garage door bottom seal weather strip has the potential to dry rot, flatten, and compress all the way to the floor over time. It’s common for old weatherstripping to let water and other debris into your garage. By allowing cold air to circulate easily under the door, worn seals also reduce energy efficiency. Most homeowners can execute the simple project of replacing the astragals on their garage doors in less than 15 minutes. Following these instructions will ensure that the bottom weather strip on your overhead door is replaced correctly.
Step 1:
with the door closed, release the door’s opener by pulling down the red Liftmaster 41A2828 emergency release cord. Once at eye level, raise the door and, if required, clamp it off with a pair of vice grips.
Step 2:
To accurately determine what kind of seal you will need, cut a sample piece of the seal from your door that is between 2-3 inches long with a razor blade. Find products in our garage door parts store that correspond to the type of seal you currently have. The three most popular types of bottom seals are beaded, J-type, and T-type.
Step 3:
J Type Bottom Seal Beaded Bottom Seal P-Bulb Overhead Door Bottom Seal T Type Wayne Dalton Skinny T Bottom Seal
To determine how many feet to order, step three is to measure the width of your garage door. 16 feet for a double door and 9 feet for a single-car door are typical garage door sizes. You might also want to take your seal’s breadth profile into consideration. Choose a bottom seal with a broader profile to assist seal any low locations. Up to 6′′ widths are available, with the most popular profiles being 3.5′′ and 4.5′′. You must be aware of the color of the seal if you have several doors. Black and gray are the most typical colors, while yellow is sometimes offered for commercial use.
Step 4:
Pull-on one end along the bottom retainer to uninstall your old bottom weather seal. It can be challenging to remove the old seal when the bottom retainer is bent. You can release the seal’s restriction by prying up on the bent retention channel with a flat head screwdriver. If required, split the old weather seal in two along the breadth of the door using a razor blade. Your ability to remove the old seal will be aided by this.
Step 5:
The aluminum retainer on the bottom of your garage door needs to be thoroughly cleaned of all dirt and debris. Your bottom retainer may benefit from a light spraying of soap-based window cleaning solution to assist clear away dirt and facilitating the installation of your new seal. When it comes to lubricating and cleaning the track, Windex is preferable to WD-40. Make sure your bottom retainer isn’t pinned together by using a flat head screwdriver. In any place on the retainer where the bottom seal will have a hard time slipping through, loosen or bend it.
Step 6:
Fold the new garage door bottom seal into a “U” shape, then start squeezing the T end of the seal into the channels below the bottom retainer. Drag the seal’s end through the bottom channel slowly. The replacement seal will need to be pulled along and fed into the channel in a back-and-forth motion. For this task, two individuals would be most effective, especially for double-wide doors.
Step 7:
After stretching the bottom weather seal across the whole width of the door, add an additional five inches of seal by stretching it past the end of the track. Fold the extra seal that is sticking out the end back into the channel. Any extra astragal should be pushed back into the canal. By doing so, you can prevent shrinkage and maintain the seal. On the other side of your garage door, repeat the previous process.
Step 8:
Take your vice grips out of the vertical track and lower the door to the ground. Re-engage the trolley on your garage door opener to re-connect the door opener. You must modify your seal if you notice any daylight penetrating the surface. A garage door opener should always be tested, and the limit and force settings on the motor casing should be adjusted as necessary. You’ll need to alter the travel if the door falls to the ground before rising again.
Bonus:
Does the bottom seal of your garage door collapse quickly and flatten out? In the hole between your aluminum bottom retainer and seal, you could choose to attach an old garden hose or back rod. By doing this, you can keep your astragal seal from flattening out too rapidly and get a tighter seal.
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.
