Weatherstripping on garage doors keeps rain from getting in your garage and helps to insulate from cooler temperatures. Here at Neighborhood Garage Door Service of Columbus, OH, we recommend you inspect your stripping on a yearly basis. You will want to be sure that there are no visible cracks and moisture is not piling up around the door.
How to Replace The Weatherstripping on a Garage Door
There are a few steps you will need to take to remove and replace the rubber on the bottom of your door. It is a relatively simple process and a great DIY home garage door repair.
Take Bottom Track Off Your Garage Door
The first thing you will need to do is take the track off of the bottom of your garage door. This is the part of the door that holds the weather stripping in place.
If need be, you might need to spray lubricant onto the bolts to help loosen them from the door. Depending on how rusted the bolts are, you should expect to replace some or all of them.
Should you find that some of the bolts are stripped completely, you might need to use a saw to cut it off. This will keep from tearing up the holes for the replacements.
Remove Weatherstripping
After you have taken the bottom track off of your garage door, you will be able to completely remove the damaged weatherstripping. If the stripping is severely damaged, you might need to cut it in sections to help you remove it. Use a pair of pliers to help you pull the weatherstipping out.
It can help to spray lubricant on the old stripping to help loosen it up. Leave the lubricant on to soak for a few minutes.
Clean the Track
With soapy water and a bristled brush, clean the track well. If you have some areas that still have remnants of the old strip, you might need to do additional scrubbing. For the most part, a broom soaked in hot, soapy water should be sufficient.
Install New Rubber Weatherstripping
Once the tracks are cleaned, you can add the new weatherstripping. Use a little bit of dish soap and water to wet down the tracks to make it slippery. This can help you to feed the new rubber down the length of your overhead door.
Make note that you need to make sure you get the right size stripping to fit in your tracks. If it is too wide, it will make it difficult to feed it through. Rubber that is too narrow will not stay in place.
Screw Track Back On Your Garage Door
Take the track and put it back on your garage door. Use new bolts if need be and screw through the old holes. If the old holes are too damaged or wide, you might need to drill new ones.
Sometimes, the holes will not line back up properly, in which case, you may need to loosen the bolts and shift the track down a bit.
Here at Neighborhood Garage Door Services of Columbus, OH, we aim to provide you with all of the overhead door services you require. If you have questions regarding your equipment or need help with garage door repair, please contact us today. We can help you with this repair if you are unable to do it yourself.
