With your garage door being the largest entrance to your home, it is essential that you maintain it so you don't have to worry about security issues and air getting through. In many homes, 40% of your home's exterior is your garage door. During the winter, it is especially important to have your garage door working for you and not allowing the frigid air to get into your home. When your garage door won't close or properly seal, you may start to notice your energy bill increasing. If you live in an area with cold temperatures, you want to do everything you can to keep out the harsh winter weather so you can stay comfy in your home. In an effort to do this, there are certain things you need to do to help winterize your garage door. 

Insulate Your Garage Door

Your insulation for the garage door is measured by its R value. This tells you how much energy efficiency it has. The higher the number, the more efficient it is. Air can travel through the garage and into the home by a number of different ways. When the garage is attached to the house, it can go in through the door. If the home is situated under a room in the house, it can travel up through the ceiling and into the room. This is a quick way to experience a higher heating bill in the winter. To avoid this from happening, you want to make sure your garage door is well insulated. 

Seal Your Garage

Besides insulating the garage, you should also inspect the weather stripping around any openings to ensure they are well sealed. In an effort to close any gaps and ensure that air is not allowed to get into the garage, you will want to add PVC stop molding around the door. This will help seal off any openings properly so you don't experience cold air coming through. There should be a weather strip along the bottom of the door. This can get worn down the longer you use the garage door. Check it to see if it needs replacing so you can ensure a better seal at the bottom. 

Check for Proper Balance

You also want to make sure your garage door is balanced properly. This can be done by watching it close to ensure it does not slam down. You also want to lift the garage door a little at a time to ensure it remains in the same position. If you notice one side up further than the other, you want to call your garage door repair person to help troubleshoot the problem and fix it quickly before the problem worsens. 

For professional garage door services, contact a company such as A AAA Allstate Door Company.