Garage Door Cure

Jun 25, 2003 9 Replies

We recently had a sectional overhead 2-car garage door installed. The problem is, the property (on a hill) has settled over the last 40 years, so while the garage door bottom seals nicely at one end, there is a gap of a half-inch or so at the other end.



Is anyone aware of a fix for this problem? The garage door installation company was clueless. We were thinking of taller door-bottom weather stripping that could be installed on an angle. Does that make sense, or is there a better solution out there somewhere? Thanks.



Someone here posted info on raising a slab at reasonable cost a few weeks ago. Apparently a hole is drilled and limestone injected until the slab is level. If you slab is not level that might be the correct fix. It was relatively cheap according to the post and worked well.

half-inch or so

installation company

stripping that

Why not just cut the garage door to fit the angle? I've seen that done on This Old House.

Unfortunately, it is an insulated steel door. I don't think it would cut well.

My new overhead door has a gasket on the bottom edge that is about an inch and a half thick. [Actually an inch and a half in diameter, since it's a hollow rubber tube--very flexible]

That sort of gasket would easily compress to cover your half inch discrepancy.

--JWW

Ah, yes. I've only seen it done with wood :)

If the slab settled in the garage it should be raised.

Clueless? Or just acknowledging there's no good, easy fix?

There is a kind of long "brush" bottom seal sold for large aircraft hanger doors. It can bridge a few inches. Not cheap. Perhaps you could improvise something similar by cutting up push brooms.

If I am remembering this original post, you have a space at one side of the door at the bottom. Pardon the obvious and perhaps insulting 'duh' questions, but have you put a level on the bottom of the door and on the concrete below it to see what is not level? Perhaps even the sides of the opening, for that matter. If it is the door, I would think the 'clueless' installer would have to do some modification to fix it. Even if the house itself is off, seems to me one of the side mounts could be moved up or down a little to balance the situation.

Of course, before being flamed for stupidity, I point out I am not an installer or an expert, just throwing out thoughts.

I now have ventured out of my league on this, so I will shut up now. I was just throwing out thoughts.

Thanks.

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