Checking that your garage door’s seal is tight is incredibly important, especially during the winter months when the goal is to keep the extreme cold out and utility bills low. You may be surprised to know how much warm air escapes through your residential garage door, especially if you haven’t regularly maintained it. There are ways to resolve this issue, and it starts by making time to weatherproof your garage space well before the flurries start flying.
There are ways to resolve this issue, and it starts by making time to winterize your garage space well before the flurries start flying.
It’s never too late to make necessary repairs or to invest in proper winterizing solutions to help keep the warmth inside where it belongs. The garage door service experts at AAA Garage Door, Inc. have some garage door weatherproofing tips for Omaha homeowners looking to tackle some of the things that can cause garage spaces to become a drain on heating costs during the colder months.
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How To Weatherproof Your Garage Door
It doesn’t matter if you want to get ahead of the game this winter or you’re trying to seal your garage door with snow already on the ground. These seven garage weatherproofing tips will help!
1. Inspect and Replace Garage Insulation
Homeowners sometimes forget that an insulated garage door can make a big difference in containing the warm air that your HVAC system generates. Insulate the walls and the garage door to save money on your energy bills and keep your garage warm in the winter.
Fiberglass batt insulation is a relatively inexpensive solution for the walls, but does require some skill to install correctly. Many of the worn-out wood, aluminum or metal garage doors aren’t conducive to adding insulation. Instead, look for new overhead doors that feature integrated polystyrene or polyurethane insulation. You can also get garage door insulation kits to add insulation to your existing garage door if it’s not that old.
2. Replace Weatherstripping and Seal Cracks and Holes
The weatherstripping seal around your garage door takes the brunt of harsh weather and repeated opening and closing, which can cause them to become brittle and crack or break. During winter, the rubber stripping on your garage door can freeze to the ground or threshold, causing it to rip, tear or cause the lifting mechanism to work harder to do its job. If you find that your garage door weatherstripping has any visible damage, it’s best to replace your garage door weather seals before the winter comes.
You’ll also want to remove any snow or ice from the area where your door seals. Ice chunks or snow clinging to the door can interfere with the photo-eye sensors, which could cause the door to come partially down, then go right back up without closing. If you choose to remove the old weather stripping seal and apply a new weatherstrip, use a high-quality product designed to remain pliable at any temperature.
After installing new weatherstripping, take a moment to inspect the garage walls and the areas around windows and doors where small cracks or openings are creating cold drafts. Caulk and seal those areas to minimize heat loss and seal any gaps that might’ve formed.
3. Check the Moving Parts of Your Garage Door
Overhead garage doors rely on several metal pieces to operate, such as the rollers, hinges and tracks. Metal contracts and could break when the temperature gets cold. As a result, your Omaha garage door could start to perform poorly or even stop working altogether. Rollers in particular can become brittle in cold air, causing them to crack. If the door doesn’t open or close correctly, it could let in cold drafts in the winter.
Explore your garage door and look at the various moving parts to make it last longer. If you see anything that appears broken or out of place, it’s time to repair those pieces before the cold weather starts.
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4. Inspect Weatherstripping Between Garage Door Panels
This tip only applies to some garage door designs. If your garage door has room to install weatherstrippings between the individual door panels, we recommend you use v-shaped garage door weatherstripping. This protective seal will significantly increase your garage door’s energy efficiency to maintain heat in your living space. V-shaped garage door weatherstripping isn’t the same as bottom weatherstripping and side weatherstripping. This garage door weather seal is located between each door panel and provides the door and your garage with extra insulation.
5. Install an Automatic Wi-Fi-Enabled Garage Door Opener
Sometimes cold drafts may enter your home because you forgot to close the garage door. An open garage door leaves your home exposed to the elements. One simple home improvement to keep your garage warm in the winter is to replace your outdated garage door opener with an automatic one. Most modern models allow you to create a recurring schedule so your garage door will close automatically after a certain amount of time.
By connecting your opener to your smartphone or mobile device, you can check that you closed your garage door and receive alerts when it opens. You can also use the app on your smartphone to check whether your garage door is out of alignment or needs maintenance that you’ll have to address.
6. Replace Your Garage Door
You may need to replace your old, worn-out garage door with a new, energy-efficient one. If your garage door is several decades old or has severe damage from rain, snow, hail, or wind, a new garage door can help keep you warm in the winter. Even though a new door may be a significant investment, it’ll allow you to save money on your energy bills over time, so it’s well worth the investment.
If you’re going to get a new garage door, make sure you find one with excellent thermal insulation. Look for a garage door with a high R-value that demonstrates the effectiveness of reducing heat transfer. Depending on your local area, you should find garage door insulation of at least 10 to keep out the cold weather in the winter. A highly insulated door can protect your vehicles as well as your maintenance fluids and paints. You may also want a new garage door if you use your garage as a workspace.
Consider a material that can keep the cool air out and the warm air inside. Wooden garage doors are naturally insulative, while steel garage doors are compatible with the polystyrene or polyurethane insulation sheets available on the market today. Consult a garage door technician for the options available to you in your local area.
7. Call a Professional
If you want a professional opinion on garage weatherproofing, look no further than AAA Garage Door in Omaha, NE. We specialize in weatherstrip replacement, garage door efficiency and overall preventative maintenance that will save you money this winter. If any of these garage weatherproofing tips seem too hard to fix on your own, let us do the hard work for you!
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AAA Garage Door, Inc. is always available to help take care of the chore of garage door repair, maintenance and winterization. Call us at (402) 727-0789 or fill out a contact form, and we’ll get in touch with you.
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Felipe Pinales
Reviewed By: Felipe Pinales - Felipe is Nebraska’s first IDEA-certified Master Technician. He has been employed by AAA Garage Door for 6+ years, and has had the Master Technician Certification in his sights since he began. Felipe has also passed four written examinations including Residential Installer Certification, Commercial Sectional Door Systems Technician Certification, Commercial Rolling Door Systems Technician Certification, and Rolling Steel Fire Door Technician Certification. Felipe is constantly looking for ways to improve his abilities within our industry. His goal is to become the best garage door technician possible to best assist his customers and fellow co-workers.