I have two wooden garage doors (home is 45 years old and doors seem to be
also). For the most part they work well in the original tracks as far as
going up and down with my Craftsman openers. However they never do (and
never did) seem to fit real well when they are closed shut. I can see light
at the top and at certain areas along each side.
My HVAC guy mentioned that I really should try to have the doors insulated -
meaning the endges, so that it makes a reasonable seal during both winter
and summer seasons to help out a bit with air infiltration. He said this
type of around the door insulation could be gotten from Home Depot.

If the doors don't ever seem to close tightly in the first place will any
side molding insulation really do anything? I'm thinking that if anything
it might further interfere with the travel of the doors and ultimately get
rubbed or torn off anyway.

Thoghts on this?
Thanks.
Walter

You seem to be answering your own question. The insulation that covers your
light sources will save you $$$. Simple enough?

"Walter Cohen" wrote in message
...
I have two wooden garage doors (home is 45 years old and doors seem to be
also). For the most part they work well in the original tracks as far as
going up and down with my Craftsman openers. However they never do (and
never did) seem to fit real well when they are closed shut. I can see
light at the top and at certain areas along each side.
My HVAC guy mentioned that I really should try to have the doors
insulated - meaning the endges, so that it makes a reasonable seal during
both winter and summer seasons to help out a bit with air infiltration.
He said this type of around the door insulation could be gotten from Home
Depot.

If the doors don't ever seem to close tightly in the first place will any
side molding insulation really do anything? I'm thinking that if anything
it might further interfere with the travel of the doors and ultimately get
rubbed or torn off anyway.

Thoghts on this?
Thanks.
Walter

"Walter Cohen" wrote...
I have two wooden garage doors (home is 45 years old and doors seem to be
also). For the most part they work well in the original tracks as far as
going up and down with my Craftsman openers. However they never do (and
never did) seem to fit real well when they are closed shut. I can see
light at the top and at certain areas along each side.
My HVAC guy mentioned that I really should try to have the doors
insulated - meaning the endges, so that it makes a reasonable seal during
both winter and summer seasons to help out a bit with air infiltration.
He said this type of around the door insulation could be gotten from Home
Depot.

If the doors don't ever seem to close tightly in the first place will any
side molding insulation really do anything? I'm thinking that if anything
it might further interfere with the travel of the doors and ultimately get
rubbed or torn off anyway.

The gap at the top can be sealed easily. Since the door is only against the
top beam when closed, you can put an appropriately thick and wide strip of
foam or tubular rubber gap seal across the top.

The sides are only slightly more problematic. You may not be able to get as
tight a seal as at the top, but you can at least close the gap. Here a
feathered-edge strip of rubber or aluminum can be fitted up the sides, at a
30-45 degree angle from the wall, so the free edge just lies against the
outside edge of the door. The top of the strip has to be placed so it is
positioned properly against the bottom corner of the door when the door is
open, so the strip is not "caught" by the door.

"glenn P" wrote:

You seem to be answering your own question. The insulation that covers your
light sources will save you $$$. Simple enough?

Sorry - an insulated garage door in what is an apparently uninsulated garage
won't do anything to save money. All sealing the gaps may do is keep a little
dust out of the garage.

"Rick Blaine" wrote...

Sorry - an insulated garage door in what is an apparently uninsulated
garage
won't do anything to save money. All sealing the gaps may do is keep a
little
dust out of the garage.

Actually, reducing the convection losses can help quite a bit!

"Walter Cohen" wrote in message
...
I have two wooden garage doors (home is 45 years old and doors seem to be
also). For the most part they work well in the original tracks as far as
going up and down with my Craftsman openers. However they never do (and
never did) seem to fit real well when they are closed shut. I can see
light at the top and at certain areas along each side.
My HVAC guy mentioned that I really should try to have the doors
insulated - meaning the endges, so that it makes a reasonable seal during
both winter and summer seasons to help out a bit with air infiltration.
He said this type of around the door insulation could be gotten from Home
Depot.

If the doors don't ever seem to close tightly in the first place will any
side molding insulation really do anything? I'm thinking that if anything
it might further interfere with the travel of the doors and ultimately get
rubbed or torn off anyway.

Thoghts on this?
Thanks.
Walter

you didn't mention the kind of climate you are in, one of the many variables
at play as to the best answer for you

sealing the doors might trap humidity (especially if you park vehincles in
the garage and pull in after a rain when the vehicles are wet), leading to
accelerated deterioration of those materials/ietms negatively effected by
humidity

if you park vehicles in the garage or store chemicals ther (oil, paints,
etc.), sealing could trap more chemical (gasoline, oil, paint, etc.) fumes
than an aerated garage already does

seailng could also trap heat in the garage in summer (some people install
vents to release heat in hot months)

there's no easy answer but generally garages should not be hermetically
sealed

"Walter Cohen" ) writes:

If the doors don't ever seem to close tightly in the first place will any
side molding insulation really do anything? I'm thinking that if anything
it might further interfere with the travel of the doors and ultimately get
rubbed or torn off anyway.

Up here in Canada, most garages are not designed to be sealed or heated
spaces. If you want to seal or heat a garage in this climate, you should
insulate the walls, door and ceiling, and install a roof vent.

If you're not getting water, snow or dust/dirt through the door, then it's
doing it's job already.

Walter Cohen wrote:
I have two wooden garage doors (home is 45 years old and doors seem
to be also). For the most part they work well in the original tracks
as far as going up and down with my Craftsman openers. However they
never do (and never did) seem to fit real well when they are closed
shut. I can see light at the top and at certain areas along each
side. My HVAC guy mentioned that I really should try to have the doors
insulated - meaning the endges, so that it makes a reasonable seal
during both winter and summer seasons to help out a bit with air
infiltration. He said this type of around the door insulation could
be gotten from Home Depot.
If the doors don't ever seem to close tightly in the first place will
any side molding insulation really do anything? I'm thinking that if
anything it might further interfere with the travel of the doors and
ultimately get rubbed or torn off anyway.

Thoghts on this?
Thanks.
Walter

In my opinion, unless you are heating - cooling the garage, there is
little to be gained by the exercise.

--
Joseph Meehan

Dia duit

My garage is insulated above it and in the walls. I suffer the problem
of the OP. My garage door leaks a lot of air because of gaps when
shut. While I do not heat the garage, it does keep warmer which is
nice. I've always wondered how to properly fill the gaps, considering
I have an arched garage entry.

wrote:
My garage is insulated above it and in the walls. I suffer the
problem of the OP. My garage door leaks a lot of air because of gaps
when shut. While I do not heat the garage, it does keep warmer
which is nice. I've always wondered how to properly fill the gaps,
considering I have an arched garage entry.

Mine is much the same, and it does stay warmer in the winter and cooler
in the summer. However I don't recommend trying to seal it up. I like it
loose. If you were to seal it well, you would be sealing in all the
moisture that comes in with the cars and would likely end up with more rust
etc.

--
Joseph Meehan

Dia duit

Yes, the suggestion cam from my HVAC guy. If air can get in then it (warmed
air) can also go out back through the chimney.

Walter

"John Weiss" jrweiss98155nospamatnospamcomcastdotnospamnet wrote in
message ...
"Rick Blaine" wrote...

Sorry - an insulated garage door in what is an apparently uninsulated
garage
won't do anything to save money. All sealing the gaps may do is keep a
little
dust out of the garage.

Actually, reducing the convection losses can help quite a bit!

loose. If you were to seal it well, you would be sealing in all the
moisture that comes in with the cars and would likely end up with more rust
etc.

Yes, it is very dry in the garage right now. I have wood stairs in
there up to the house that are not stained. They are 7 years old and
in almost new condition.

Walter Cohen wrote:
I have two wooden garage doors (home is 45 years old and doors seem
to be also). For the most part they work well in the original tracks
as far as going up and down with my Craftsman openers. However they
never do (and never did) seem to fit real well when they are closed
shut. I can see light at the top and at certain areas along each
side.

Possible causes:
-- Door not closing completely, pushing the top in against the top of the
opening.
-- Worn or loose trim.
The door should "pop" a little when you pull the emergency release
rope/handle.
There should be a springy mechanism, usually part of the emergency
release, where as the door finishes the last inch or so of movement, the
spring compresses, pushing the top firmly against the opening.

My HVAC guy mentioned that I really should try to have the doors
insulated - meaning the endges, so that it makes a reasonable seal
during both winter and summer seasons to help out a bit with air
infiltration. He said this type of around the door insulation could
be gotten from Home Depot.

Yes, it can, and it's not expensive, it's easy to apply, and works well.
Definitely a DIY project for an afternoon.

If the doors don't ever seem to close tightly in the first place will
any side molding insulation really do anything?

It IS possible the tracks are misaligned and they aren't holding the door
close enough to the opening, but it sounds like your guy would have noticed
if that were the problem. It has to be a loose fit in order for the door to
be able to slide up and down without being stuck by pressing against the
frame.

Yes. That is the purpose of such insulation. Most any garage door will let
you see light along the sides in places and at the top, too. It's more a
trim than it is an insulation and simply lightly presses against the door
edges (sides and top) to complete the seal.

I'm thinking that if
anything it might further interfere with the travel of the doors and
ultimately get rubbed or torn off anyway.

We've lived here 14 years now. The seals (insulation in your constext
apparently) are just now beginning to show wear. I re-hammered the staples
last year to reseat it, and it still works well. I'm hoping to get around
to replacing it this fall.

It's just sort of a flexible "lip" that nails to the frame and when the door
comes down, it slips up against it and seals the openings.
Heated or not, they're very handy since they keep out dust and dirt and,
if it's an attached garage, it also keeps the cold wind from refilling the
garage as the cold air slowly leaks into the house walls and house itself.

HTH
Pop`


Thoghts on this?
Thanks.
Walter

nowforsale wrote:
"Walter Cohen" wrote in message
...
I have two wooden garage doors (home is 45 years old and doors seem
to be also). For the most part they work well in the original
tracks as far as going up and down with my Craftsman openers. However
they never do (and never did) seem to fit real well when
they are closed shut. I can see light at the top and at certain
areas along each side. My HVAC guy mentioned that I really should try to
have the doors
insulated - meaning the endges, so that it makes a reasonable seal
during both winter and summer seasons to help out a bit with air
infiltration. He said this type of around the door insulation could
be gotten from Home Depot.

If the doors don't ever seem to close tightly in the first place
will any side molding insulation really do anything? I'm thinking
that if anything it might further interfere with the travel of the
doors and ultimately get rubbed or torn off anyway.

Thoghts on this?
Thanks.
Walter

you didn't mention the kind of climate you are in, one of the many
variables at play as to the best answer for you

sealing the doors might trap humidity (especially if you park
vehincles in the garage and pull in after a rain when the vehicles
are wet), leading to accelerated deterioration of those
materials/ietms negatively effected by humidity

if you park vehicles in the garage or store chemicals ther (oil,
paints, etc.), sealing could trap more chemical (gasoline, oil,
paint, etc.) fumes than an aerated garage already does

seailng could also trap heat in the garage in summer (some people
install vents to release heat in hot months)

there's no easy answer but generally garages should not be
hermetically sealed

I'm sorry, I can't agree with most of that. Due to the inherent
construction of garages, it's just not an issue with the exception that
flammable liquids should NEVER be kept in any kind of closed structure -
sealing is irrelevent in that case. In all other cases i's relevant, and
does NOT increase humidity uncontrollably. This information just doesn't
hold water and goes directly against my experiences over the years.

Pop