Why Is Water Getting Under My Garage Door?

A little water near the garage door after a heavy rain may not seem like a big deal. But if you’re regularly finding puddles, damp cardboard boxes or water creeping across the garage floor, it’s worth figuring out where it’s coming from.

For Long Island homeowners, the problem can be especially noticeable during periods of heavy rain, wind-driven storms or winter weather. Sometimes the fix is as simple as replacing an old seal. Other times, the problem has less to do with the garage door itself and more to do with the driveway or drainage around it.

Here are some of the most common reasons water gets under a garage door, and what you can do about it.

Your Bottom Garage Door Seal May Be Worn Out

Start with the obvious suspect: the rubber or vinyl seal running along the bottom of the garage door.

The bottom seal is designed to close the small space between the door and the garage floor, helping keep out water, dirt, drafts and pests. Over time, it can flatten, crack, tear or become brittle. Clopay recommends replacing a bottom weather seal when it shows visible cracks or wear.

Take a look at yours while the door is closed. If you can see daylight underneath portions of the door, or the seal looks crushed and uneven, it may no longer be doing its job. Fortunately, a worn seal is generally a pretty straightforward garage door repair.

The Garage Floor Isn’t Completely Level

Sometimes the seal is fine, but the surface beneath it isn’t. Garage floors and driveways can settle over time, creating low spots or small gaps underneath the door. Even a new bottom seal can have trouble stopping water if the concrete is uneven enough.

You may notice that water always enters in the same corner or along one particular section of the door. That’s a good clue that the floor or driveway pitch may be part of the problem.

Depending on the situation, a different style of bottom seal or a garage door threshold may help create a better barrier.

A threshold is installed directly on the garage floor and works together with the door seal to reduce the gap.

Water May Be Flowing Toward the Garage

Here’s where things get a little less garage-door-specific. Your driveway should ideally direct water away from the garage rather than toward it. If the driveway slopes toward the house, has settled over time or allows water to pool directly in front of the door, even good weatherstripping can eventually be overwhelmed.

Watch what happens during a good rain. Does water run down the driveway toward the garage? Does a puddle form right against the door? Are nearby gutters or downspouts dumping water onto the driveway?

If so, the real solution may involve improving drainage rather than simply replacing the garage door seal. A garage door company can help determine whether the door is sealing properly, but significant grading or drainage problems may require a different type of contractor.

Wind-Driven Rain Can Find Small Gaps

Long Island storms don’t always deliver rain straight down. When wind pushes rain against the house, water can work its way around the sides or bottom of a garage door through gaps that aren’t particularly noticeable during normal weather.

Garage doors are designed to resist weather, but they aren’t completely watertight. Garage door seals help deter wind-driven rain, but sections, windows and bottom seals may not be 100% leak-proof because a garage door has to move and flex during operation. That’s why water showing up only during especially windy storms doesn’t necessarily mean something catastrophic is wrong.

It is still worth checking the perimeter weatherstripping, though. If the seals along the sides or top of the door are pulling away, cracked or stiff, replacing them may considerably improve the seal.

The Garage Door May Not Be Closing Evenly

A properly operating garage door should sit evenly against the floor when it closes.

If one side is slightly higher than the other, you may end up with a gap large enough for water to enter. Door alignment problems can develop because of issues involving tracks, cables, rollers or other components.

This usually looks different from a simple worn seal. You might notice an obvious uneven gap, a door that appears crooked or a door that has recently started making unusual noises.

This isn’t a good place for DIY adjustments. Garage door systems include springs and cables under significant tension, so alignment problems should be inspected by a qualified garage door technician.

Don’t Ignore Water That Keeps Coming Back

A small puddle once or twice probably isn’t an emergency. Repeated water intrusion is another story. Moisture can damage boxes, tools, flooring and anything else stored near the garage entrance. Over time, it can also contribute to rust, odors and mold or mildew problems.

And if your garage is attached to your house, water moving farther into the space is something you definitely want to address before the next big storm.

So, What Should You Do First?

Start by looking at when and where the water appears. Check the bottom seal for cracks and gaps. Look at the side weatherstripping. See whether the door sits evenly against the floor. Then pay attention to what happens outside during rain, especially whether water pools in front of the garage or flows toward it.

Those clues can usually help narrow down whether you’re dealing with a garage door issue, a drainage problem or a little of both.

If the problem appears to be coming from the door, All Island Garage Door can inspect the weather seals, alignment and other components to help identify the source of the leak and recommend the right repair. Give us a call.