There are a couple of ways to make your home more
efficient. Paying careful attention to your garage area is one of the best
options out there. Interestingly, most people never take the time to consider
their garage when it comes to energy conservation. However, this is a grave
mistake. Your garage will allow lots of air to escape from your home causing
your electricity bill to rise. If you stop the escape of that air, then you can
ensure that your energy bill will not be paid in vain. One of the best ways to
seal your garage is by installing a garage door threshold seal.
Numerous types of weatherproofing and sealants exist
for garage doors. Still, a garage door threshold sealant is one of the most
effective types on the market. This sealant is placed on the garage floor
directly below the door itself. When the garage door closes, the sealant will
match with the edge of the door perfectly. This creates a tight seal that air
cannot penetrate. The best part about this sealant is that you can easily
install it on your own without the help of a professional contractor.
Simply purchase one of our garage door threshold
sealant kits, and get ready for the ultimate DIY project! Follow the instructions
that come with the kit, make sure that you have the right tools, and proceed
with the installation. The entire project shouldn't take more than one
afternoon to complete, though you'll see the difference in home temperature
right away. If you have been constantly trying to gain the right temperature
inside your home to no avail, then your garage might be the problem. The
solution to this problem is to seal all of those gaps and cracks that might be
allowing air to escape. Those homeowners that pay attention to these smaller
areas often find that their homes quickly become energy efficient.
If you aren't sure what kind of garage door
threshold kit you need, we'd be more than happy to answer any queries that you
might have. You'll find that most of these kits are easy to follow - even if
you aren't a handy do-it-yourselfer. In today's world it pays to become as
energy efficient as possible. Not only will your monthly bills be lowered, but
you’ll also find the environment inside of your home a lot easier to tolerate.
There's no sense in raising your thermostat every time a cold draft enters your
home from your garage. Instead, install the right kind of garage door sealant.
Installing A Garage Door Bottom
Weatherstrip
I've tried to install a
garage door bottom weather-strip, but it is so unmanageable that it always comes
out crooked. Is there an easier way to install it than just nailing it?
This is the nonpareil of tips... the creme de la creme! Do this and you will
not only have the weather-strip up in record time, but have it as straight as
possible!
TOOLS NEEDED: Garage door bottom weather-stripping kit (including nails),
maybe a half-pound of 1" or longer galvanized roofing nails, heavy duty
staple gun with minimum ½" staples, hammer, patience.
Optional: Sandpaper and wood preservative
Remove
old weatherstrip completely, including old nails if possible.
Any old nails or staples that are not removeable should be hammered flush to
bottom of door so they don't tear the new weatherstrip.
Sand bottom of door and coat with a clear wood
preservative. Since the weatherstrip is non-breathable solid
rubber, moisture can accumulate between it and the bottom of the door,
promoting rot.
Position
the door so that it is about chest height. Not my chest height,
yours. This will give you a view of your finished product as you work. You
can use your garage door opener to do this (most modern ones reverse on the
down cycle and stop on the up cycle), or disconnect the opener and use
clamps on the track(s). You can use one, or two for extra security!!
Unroll the weatherstrip completely, and make sure
it is long enough. You want to avoid stretching it excessively
now or during installation. If there is a ratty end (sometimes the ends are
a little beaten up because of staples or other rude behavior), and you have
extra length to work with, do a little trimming.
Position the weatherstrip so that the overhang
extends to the inside. This is important! If the overhang extends
to the outside, the weather-strip will hit the garage door frame and force
you to trim it to compensate. Only install the weatherstrip with the
overhang outside if the outside level is significantly lower than the area
under the door.
Usually, the bottom roller bracket (to which the
garage door cable attaches) inconveniently obstructs or limits your
fastening options on the first 3" or so on either side of the garage
door bottom. Sometimes, there is a single hole for you to nail
into. Sometimes not. In either case, you will not do any fastening through
the bracket until you get the rest of the weatherstrip secured
Line up the weatherstrip so it lines up with or
is slightly past the end of the door, and with the outside edge where you
want it. Put a staple through the weatherstrip and into the bottom of the
door near to the bottom roller bracket. Continue across the
bottom of the garage door, stapling every 3 or so inches.
When you are within a foot of the other end of
the door, measure and trim the weatherstrip so it will just meet the end of
the door. Finish stapling.
Raise the door to a comfortable hammering
position, and hammer in the nails that came with the kit. Place
them between the staples. Attach the weatherstrip to the two bottom roller
brackets via the holes we looked for earlier. If there is a nail in it
already, remove the nail and then renail the weatherstrip to it. If there is
no hole (hello, Mr. Murphy), get out your drill and make one!
Many of the kits I have used come with painfully short ½"
nails. Have a bunch of minimum 1" long galvanized roofing
nails handy, and throw the short nails into the "circular file"!!
That's about it. The staples cannot be relied on to hold the weatherstrip
permanently, but they eliminate the snake-wrestling match that installing a
garage door bottom weatherstrip can turn into!! Enjoy.
