Every fall the calls start: the garage smells damp, the floor never dries, there are leaves in the corner and slugs have opinions about your camping gear. Nine times out of ten around Puget Sound the culprit is not the door panel. It is the seals around it. Here is the honest tour.
Where do garage drafts actually come from?
- The bottom seal. The rubber astragal under the door flattens, cracks and freezes to the slab over the years. Once you can see daylight, you are heating the driveway and inviting every slug in King County inside.
- Perimeter stops. The vinyl or wood molding around the sides and top carries a flexible lip that should kiss the door face. Sun and time curl it away.
- The floor itself. Puget Sound slabs settle and crack. If the concrete waves, a straight rubber seal cannot follow it; a threshold ramp or a heavier-profile seal can.
- Corners and section joints. Worn end hinges and tired rollers let sections separate slightly in the wind, opening seams a sealed door should not have.
What order should I fix things in?
Bottom seal first, always: biggest gap, cheapest cure. Perimeter stops second, and modern vinyl stop with an integrated lip is a big upgrade over old wood strips. Threshold ramp third if your slab is wavy or your driveway drains toward the garage, a common Northwest bonus problem. If sections are separating or the door slams the floor unevenly, that is a tune-up conversation, not a rubber conversation, and worth a repair visit.
Does weather sealing help if the door is old and hollow?
It helps, and it is cheap, so we rarely talk anyone out of it. But sealing a single-layer steel door is weatherstripping a radiator. If the panel itself is the problem, the honest answer is the repair-or-replace conversation, and we will give you numbers for both without pressure.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my garage cold and damp even with an insulated door?
Air leaks. A flattened bottom seal or curled perimeter lips move more heat and moisture than the panel ever will. Seal first.
How often should seals be replaced?
Bottom rubber: every 5 to 10 years here. Daylight under the door means now.
Can I do it myself?
Bottom astragals on some doors, yes. Stops, thresholds and anything touching tracks or springs are a quick, inexpensive pro visit: call (253) 859-2318.
We stock seals, stops and thresholds at the Kent parts counter and install them across all 21 cities we serve.