My Garage Seal Froze

Removing Snow and Sleet

• If snow or sleet has built up along the edge of your garage door, the first step to thawing the seal around the door is to remove the snow or sleet. A snow shovel is an effective tool for this job. Make sure there is no snow or sleet left along the bottom edge. Pay attention to the side edges of the door as well, dusting off any fresh snow or loose bits of ice.

Thawing Method

• A common mistake is to increase the indoor temperature in the hope that this will thaw the seals on the garage door. This is unlikely to work for two reasons. First, homes typically don’t have their heating systems vented to the garage, so you’ll need to open the door to your garage to allow hot air from inside your home to make it into the garage and to the garage door. This is likelier to cool your home than to warm up your garage. Second, the kind of heat you need to thaw your garage seals would likely turn your home into a large sauna, which would result in a very high electric bill and a very uncomfortable indoor temperature. A better option is to heat the garage seals from the outside.

Hot Water Thawing

• Hot water will help you thaw the seals around your garage door from the outside of the home without damaging the seals. Simply fill a large bucket with hot water. Pour the water slowly down the side of the garage door and along the bottom edges. Repeat this process until the seals are completely thawed. You will know this has happened when you try to lift the garage door and it goes up with its normal ease.

Caveats

• Don’t ever apply flame heat, such as from a blow torch, to the seals directly. For one, it will completely damage the seals. Second, it can release toxic fumes. Avoid applying salt along the edge of your garage door to melt accumulated snow or ice, as the salt can corrode the seal of your door.