We use garages not only for keeping our cars safe from elements but also for workshops, art rooms, storage, greenhouses, playrooms, and many more. So, you need a garage space that’s totally sealed from inside so that cold air, dust and debris cannot come inside and ruin the environment. This step-by-step guideline shows exactly how to seal a garage door from the inside.
A garage door may need to be sealed from the top, side, or floor. Therefore, you need to first find out the seal is necessary. And you take adequate measures to insulate your garage by sealing all the vents.
Table of Contents
Insulation Types for Garage Door
There are three types of insulation to seal a garage door. You can use any one of them depending on the type of door or building structure you’re working with.
So, the insulation types are 1) Foam Board Insulation, 2) Reflective Insulation, and 3) Batt Insulation.
1) Foam Board Insulation: Foam board insulation prevents moisture. Therefore, it is useful for the garages where it gets wet easily. This type of insulation has a high R-value per inch of thickness.
You may find 3 types of foam board insulation on the market- EPS or expanded polystyrene (R-value 4), Extruded polystyrene (R-value 5), and Polysio or polyisocyanurate (R-value 6).
Foam boards can be found in a pre-cut format for easy use. This insulation system is relatively costly than batt insulation. Therefore, consider the budget and use it when moisture is an issue.
2) Reflective Insulation: Reflective insulation is useful in warmer climates for the garages that heat up in summer. But it’s also useful to keep a room warm when the reflective foil is placed inside. Though that needs support from other insulation systems.
Aluminum foil is used over an insulating object to reflect away the heat. However, one negative side of the reflective insulation system is, it needs to be clean and dust-free to be effective.
3) Batt Insulation: Batt insulation system can be used for sealing metal garage doors to insulate the garage. It can also be used to seal the floor, attic, wall, ceiling etc. where the construction has joists, rafters, or stud walls.
It can be made of fiberglass or mineral wool. This insulation system lasts over the years. It’s a highly efficient insulation system that efficiently reduces energy requirements by 50% if installed correctly.
However all the insulation methods are efficient to reduce noise and seal the garage, you may need to consider the building pattern, local building codes, and R-value requirements for a particular building type.
How to Identify If Your Garage Door Needs to Be Sealed?
The best and easiest way to know if the garage is not properly insulated is to look on a sunny day by closing all the doors. Also, switch off any lights. Then see if any ray comes in. If it does, then your garage needs to be sealed.
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How To Seal A Garage Door From The Inside
Follow the given methods to seal a garage door from the inside.
Sealing the Garage Door Top
Oftentimes we ignore the top of the garage door. But sealing the top along with other parts can properly vacuum the room from elements, noise, and pests.
Installing Top Seal
You’ll have to install the top seal to the upper frame of the door, not on the door. Measure and cut according to the length. Clean any dust on the surface. Then affix it to the frame and close the door. It may require up to 72 hours to attach fully as it’s against the gravity force.
Sealing the Garage Door Bottom
Method 1: Use A Floor Seal
When your garage door needs to be sealed from under the door, you can use floor seals. It will resist cold air and pests. Moreover, the top benefit of this sealant is that it doesn’t create any barrier on the way or to close the door.
Installing Floor Seal
Use any chalk or marker to point out the floor area you want to seal keeping the door shut. Then open the door and clean up any residue left in the marked area. Otherwise, it would be difficult to attach the seal.
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for any specialized guidelines. Place the seal and give it enough time (4 to 48 hours if epoxy is used) to bond to the floor. As you’ve placed the seal on the floor, close the garage door onto the seal. So that it creates enough pressure on the seal and helps it to set quickly.
Method 2: Use Brush Strip Seal
Whether the garage door bottom is in poor condition to using a floor seal and if you cannot fix the door with it, then a brush strip seal is the solution. However, this method doesn’t vacuum seal the room, but it protects against the elements.
Installing Brush Strip Seal
First, you’ll have to measure at what point the brush seal needs to be attached and how much of it you need to seal the door bottom. Whether you have a metal or wood door, use appropriate hardware and drill adequate pilot holes from the inside to secure the seal on the door. You need to place the brush seal in a position that leaves no space under the door.
Sealing the Garage Door Sides
Door-side vacant space can be created by regular use, framing problems, or damage. You can use weatherstrips to seal door sides or joints to seal and soundproof a garage.
Installing Weatherstrips
First, clean any spider web or dust build-up on the area. Then measure the vacant space in length and width. Cut the weather strips according to your measurement. Attach it to the place with rubber adhesive. Avoid making any mess and work carefully with the glue. Close the door and let it cure for up to two days until it’s dry.
Conclusion: How To Seal A Garage Door From The Inside
So, are you done sealing the garage door from the inside? Or are you just about to start? A properly sealed door reduces cost and increases energy efficiency. A little tip here to avoid any later regression: “Measure twice, cut once!”, that way you will be assured about the proper measurement of the seal and avoid wasting it.
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