How to Insulate Gaps Between a Garage Door & a Wall

Garage doors provide a convenient method to both enter and leave the home. However, the doors are designed for functionality and often have air leaks and gaps that decrease the home’s energy efficiency. If the gaps reside along the side walls and the door, a combination approach will seal them. Covering the gaps with a special weather stripping decreases air leaks, prevents rodent intrusion and improves the look of the garage door. In addition, homeowners should address inside gaps as well.

Tape measure
Vinyl weather stripping strips
Pen
Scissors
Self-tapping galvanized screws
Power drill
Exterior-grade silicone caulk
Caulk gun

Instructions

- 1
  Close the garage door fully and walk to the outside of the door to seal up the gaps.
- 2
  Measure the vertical height of the garage door at the location where it meets the wall. Lay a long strip of vinyl weather stripping on a table and mark it at the same height using a pencil. Cut the strips to size using scissors.
- 3
  Place one of the strips up to the side of the wall where the garage door meets the wall. The flexible flap should cover the gap and lay flush on the garage door. The side of the weather stripping with the screw holes must face the wall.
- 4
  Insert self-tapping galvanized screws into each screw hole, using a power drill to insert them fully.
- 5
  Insert a tube of exterior-grade caulk into a caulk gun and apply a one-eighth-inch bead along the side of the weather stripping that meets the wall.
- 6
  Repeat the process to apply weather stripping and caulk to seal the gap on the other side of the garage door.
- 7
  Walk back inside the garage and examine the wall areas directly beside the door to see if there are any gaps outside of the frame. If gaps are present, fill them with expandable polyurethane foam until they are closed.

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