What Could be Causing a Leak in My Garage Door?
Q: What could be causing a leak in my garage door?
A: Garage doors can develop leaks for a variety of reasons and it can be very frustrating when you constantly dry out the garage and attempt to find the cause of the leak. Leaks can also lead to unwanted problems inside the garage - with mold and mildew - that can make it smell.
The costs and methods used to fix a garage door leaks will depend on why it is leaking.
Let’s take a look at some of the more common causes and how to fix these to stop the door from leaking.
You driveway is not graded away from your home
If the grade of your driveway is higher than your garage, that means your driveway is angled towards your house - and water will get inside the garage. Unfortunately, you'll likely need to have your driveway graded again, so the grade declines gradually, away from the garage.
Your eaves are full of leaves and debris
If you eaves are full of leaves and debris, they will not drain correctly and water can overflow onto the ground right near the garage - or even run down the side of your home right into the garage from any small openings around the garage door. To fix this, you can either regularly clean them, or look into an eaves guard, which blocks leaves and debris from getting stuck, but still allow water to flow through.
The seals around the garage door need replaced
Inspect the plastic / rubber seals around the exterior of the door, as these can wear out and crack, causing small openings where water can get inside. If you find any cracks or worn down areas, have your seals replaced.
The garage door threshold is the wrong size or needs replaced
Inspect the rubber threshold on the bottom of the garage door. Sometimes, these aren't the right size or don't fit evenly to the floor, if your garage floor is uneven. They can also wear out like the seals around the door. Have the rubber threshold replaced if you notice any issues.
Check for leaks in between garage door panels
If you've gone through the previous steps and water is still getting in your garage, it could be coming from in between the door panels.
An easy tip to find potential areas that could be allowing water into your garage is to close the garage door on a bright sunny day. Then go into the garage, with the garage lights off, and see if sunlight is coming in from anywhere around the garage door or in between the door panels.
Anywhere you can see sunlight coming in, are areas where water can get into your garage!