How to seal roll up garage door?
Francorosso
| Posted in Construction Techniques on
I just signed a contract on a beautiful house, but there is one problem with the garage door that I’m hoping you all can help with. The garage has a metal roll up door, and there is a gap of at least an inch between where the roll up door mounts and the header. It runs the entire width of the door opening and allows all kinds of bugs in the garage. I would like to find a way to make the door a lot better sealed. I don’t have any experience with this type of door, so it may not be possible to get a tight fit, I just don’t know. Any ideas?
Frank
Replies
Is the door too short for the opening, or is it pulled away at the top because the track is too far away?
Is there a "garage door weatherstrip around the opening? This is sometimes wood/often a vinyl/plastic about 1/2 x 3 with a vinyl sweep along the edge. If you don't have it, get it and with door closed, install the head pc and side pcs w/o burying the nails or screws. You should press it to the door enough to flex the sweep and get a good seal. Find the product at a good garage door supplier/installer.
A great place for Information, Comraderie, and a sucker punch.
Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
Quittin' Time
Frank,
Any chance of a picture ? The track might not be adjusted properly at the top ? Both my garages have 16' x 7' roll up metal doors and they are basically airtight.
Bill Koustenis
Advanced Automotive Machine
Waldorf Md
Bill and Calvin,
Thanks for the advice. I can't get a picture right now because the house is in Deridder La, and I'm in Las Vages. I made a quick 4 day trip there to go house hunting and bought the house the last day. I looked as close as I could to see if there was some type of weather seal that was mis-adjusted, but I didn't see ANYTHING up there. I will find the seal you talked about and install it. Since this garage will be doubling as my office I would like it to be bug-free. I also will have to install some type of A/C, since the garage isn't attached to the house.....
Frank
Frank,
Any chance there is an electric opener on the door ? If it is not adjusted correctly, it will not push the door all the way closed at the top. There might also be a piece of trim moulding missing. There certainly should not be a 1" gap, even without the weatherstripping. Bill Koustenis
Advanced Automotive Machine
Waldorf Md
No, there isn't an electrical opener. The roller is mounted like a giant roll of toilet paper above the header.
Frank
If you are going to air condition the garage, and the door is in fair shape anyway, you may want to install an insulated door. The better doors not only use insulated panels but have good weatherstripping as part of their design. It would quiet the sound, too. The folks in Louisiana may not know anything about insulated doors, but they are quite common in the northernmost states. I used a door from a company called Garaga. They have doors with up to R18 insulating value.
You are right, I should look into an insulated door.
franco.... i'd call an overhead door company and get a service call.. they can fix it in half an hour.. you can spend two days
go to a real lumberyard and see if you can get a referralMike Smith Rhode Island : Design / Build / Repair / Restore
How deep are the ribs on the door? If the door is made of corrugated steel panels (similar to a storage building rollup door, it will be difficult to seal. This kind of door is a CHEAP solution for a residential garage door. Replace it with a decent insulated garage door.
If the door is made up of steel slats (@ 1.5" - 3" tall) then a brush type seal with aluminum retainer will work best. Standard vinyl garage door weatherstripping may also solve your problem if the surface is smooth enough.
That's funny! I was under the impression that these steel rollup doors were more expensive, sturdy, better, etc, than a standard garage door! I never would have thought they were "cheap"! I guess I've got a little more money to spend on my new house than I thought.
Frank
The doors you describe are typically used when there isn't enough overhead space or you don't want the door intruding into the garage space when it's open. The drawback is that they are not insulated and they're a bear to seal when compared with a modern sectioned garage door. Nylon brush seals are probably your best bet. Insulation is not practical, so if you really need it, you'll have to get a standard, sectioned door.If you can't get them locally, check out http://www.mcmaster.com under "brush seals"
Do what Mike Smith said and get a company to come out and look at it. It's not rocket science to adjust a door but if you don't know the tricks it sure can waist lots of time.
I'm going to go ahead and replace it with an insulated garage door, since I will be using it as an office and a workshop. That is, unless it costs too much $$$$$$.
Frank