Your garage door system contains various weather seals. These seals help insulate the door and make it weathertight. However, seals don't work indefinitely; you will need to have them replaced if they wear or get damaged.

How can you tell if your garage door's seals have a problem?

1. You Can See Damage on the Seals

A working seal should be intact and firmly fixed into place. A quick visual check will tell you if your seals have a problem. Any signs of damage or movement on a seal are a sign that it is close to the end of its useful working life.

For example, a seal won't work if it is cracked, frayed, torn, or broken. It won't give a cushioned fit if it has warped or moved out of its holding position.

2. You Feel Drafts in Your Garage

Your door's weather seals should make your garage weathertight. They fill in gaps through which wind can blow. So, if your seals are OK, then you shouldn't feel drafts around your door when you are in your garage and the door is closed.

If you can feel drafts, then you have a problem with one or more of your seals. They aren't providing an effective wind barrier.

3. You Have Problems With Gaps

If your seals are faulty or broken, then you might start to notice that things get into your garage that shouldn't be there. If your door has seal problems, then it will have some open gaps around its base and sides.

Rain can get in through these gaps. So, you might see some water on your garage floor around the door when it rains. You might have to clean out dirt and leaves that blow in through these spaces.

Gaps can also give you a pest problem. Mice and rats don't need a lot of space to get into your garage—a tiny gap left by a cracked or warped seal gives them more than enough room. So, you might see droppings or even pests in your garage.

4. You Hear More Noise

Faulty or broken weather seals can make noises you might not have heard before. For example, your door might make scraping noises when it opens or closes if it catches on a broken or misshaped seal. You might also notice that you can hear more external noise than usual when you are inside your garage even when the door is closed.  

If your seals aren't in great shape, contact garage door repair companies. They can strip out your old seals and install new ones to make your door weathertight again. 

For more info about garage door repair, contact a local company.