Garage door water getting in under or around the door
This is almost always a seal failure, or the slab sloping the wrong way. Repair costs $90 to $350 and takes 30 to 90 minutes. Safe to operate: Yes.
Check this first — it may cost you nothing
Watch where the water enters during rain. Under the middle of the door points at a worn seal; at the corners points at the perimeter stop moulding; a broad sheet points at the slab.
Why this happens
Water at the base is either a seal that no longer contacts the floor, or a driveway that drains toward the building. The second is common and no bottom seal will fully solve it on its own.
Water follows the failed seal line. A flattened, cracked seal stops shedding water and starts channelling it underneath instead.
Less likely, but possible
- Perimeter stop moulding that has shrunk or pulled away
- A threshold seal needed because the slab is uneven
- Gutters discharging onto the driveway apron
What happens if I ignore it?
Standing water rusts the bottom rail from underneath and, in freezing climates, is exactly what bonds the door to the slab overnight.
The repair: weather seal
Garage door weather seal replacement costs $90 to $220 installed for a bottom seal, or $150 to $350 for the full perimeter. Seals last five to ten years and fail sooner in high-heat and high-freeze climates.
Read the full weather seal guide →Get a tech dispatched
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