In short
- A garage door has up to three seals: the bottom seal in a retainer on the last panel, the perimeter stop along the sides and top, and an optional threshold fixed to the floor.
- One Ottawa firm's published winter table puts a pro weatherstripping replacement at about $80–$150.
- One Calgary firm's published list: bottom seal only $180–$220 + GST by door width, $265–$340 + GST with a new retainer; sides and top $220–$320 + GST.
- Health Canada says mice fit through cracks as small as a dime, and that worn thresholds under doors let them in.
Typical prices in Ottawa
| Job | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Replace weatherstripping, pro, approximate | $80–$150 | One Ottawa firm’s published winter cost table |
| Bottom seal only, single or double door | $180–$200 + GST | One Calgary firm’s published list; $220 + GST for an 18-foot door |
| Bottom seal plus new retainer | $265–$340 + GST | Same Calgary list, single door to 18-foot door |
| Side and top stop, white, single or double | $220–$260 + GST | Same Calgary list; coloured stop $260–$320 + GST |
Sources. Garage Door Pros, How To Winterize Your Garage Door For Ottawa’s Harsh Winters, published 10.07.2025, seen 29.10.2026 (one Ottawa firm’s table). GarageDoorFix, Garage door bottom seal replacement in Calgary and Garage door weatherstripping replacement in Calgary, seen 29.10.2026 (one Calgary firm’s list). HomeStars, Garage Door Replacement Cost in Canada, Canada-wide, seen 29.10.2026. Seal types: Garaga, Garage Door Weather Stripping & Seals, seen 29.10.2026. Rodents: Health Canada, Rats and mice, seen 29.10.2026. Salt: City of Ottawa, Salt and abrasive materials, seen 29.10.2026. Contracts: Ontario, Guide for home renovation and roofing businesses, seen 29.10.2026.
Three seals, three gaps
- Bottom seal. A rubber or vinyl strip that slides into a retainer channel on the bottom of the last panel and presses against the floor. Profiles differ: T-style the most common, per one Calgary firm, beaded on older ones, J-type on wood doors with no channel, and a bulb for an uneven slab.
- Perimeter stop. Strips fastened to the jambs and the header, with a flexible flap the door closes against. One Calgary firm says older homes often have steel or aluminum stop with a rubber or vinyl flap, and it installs vinyl.
- Threshold. A raised strip fixed to the garage floor under the door. Garaga lists it for sloped driveways where the door cannot sit flat on the floor.
What you see points to the seal
- Light along the floor, across the whole width: the bottom rubber has cracked, shrunk or flattened.
- Light at one end only: the floor, the bottom panel or the track may be the cause. The next section covers that.
- Draft or light at the sides or top: the perimeter stop has hardened or split.
- A line of water inside after rain or a thaw: the bottom seal, a threshold that has lifted, or a driveway that runs toward the door.
- Mouse droppings near the door: Health Canada says mice fit through cracks as small as a dime and that worn thresholds under doors are enough to let them in.
- The door sticks to the floor on cold mornings: water has frozen under the rubber.
Say in your request which of these you see and where, so the right rubber and stop come on the truck.
What moves the seal price
- Door width. The Calgary list steps up from $180 + GST for a single door to $200 + GST for a double and $220 + GST for an 18-foot door, seal only.
- The retainer. A cracked, bent or corroded channel adds the most: $265–$340 + GST on the same list with seal and retainer together.
- Stop colour. White costs less than coloured stop.
- One visit or two. Bottom and sides done together save a second service call.
One Ottawa firm’s table gives about $80–$150 for pro weatherstripping, unsplit by width or retainer. Ask what a quote includes before comparing.
When a new seal will not stop the leak
One Calgary firm lists three cases where water or light keeps coming in after a new seal:
- The slab has settled. One side of the floor has sunk, and the gap is wider than the rubber can reach. A bulb profile or a threshold may help.
- The bottom section is bent or rusted. One Calgary firm names a warped bottom panel as a cause; see garage door panel replacement.
- The track is out of line. See garage door off track.
If this is the second or third seal on the same door in a few winters, mention it in your request. A door near the end of its life may be worth pricing against new insulated garage doors.
Ottawa winters and road salt
The City of Ottawa spreads dry salt, wet salt, brine and grit on its streets, and road salt gets tracked into the garage on tires. One Calgary firm reports that road salt speeds up rubber wear, worst at the ends of the seal where the tires roll in. One Ottawa firm suggests a check every fall and a new seal every three to five years in this climate.
A Canada-wide guide notes drafts under the door or from the seams mean a single-layer door or failed seals. For freezing, snow against the door and other cold-weather faults, see garage door winter.
What the quote should list
- Which seals are replaced: bottom, sides and top, threshold
- The bottom seal profile and length, and whether the retainer is new
- Perimeter stop material and colour
- Part and labour together, the service call charge, and GST
- Any extra work found on the visit, priced separately before it is done
Ontario’s guide for home renovation businesses says contracts over $50 need a written agreement. When the contract includes an estimate, the charge can go at most 10% above it, unless you sign a change for extra work.
Who you are dealing with
Ottawa Garage Door Desk is a request service. Your request goes to one independent local garage door company, which calls you, looks at the seals and the door, prices the work and does it.
Questions to ask the company
- Which seal does my door need: the bottom one, the side and top stop, a threshold, or a mix?
- Is my retainer reusable, or does the price include a new one, and in aluminum or vinyl?
- Which bottom seal profile fits my door, and do you carry it on the truck?
- If light still shows at one end after the new seal, what do you think the cause is, and what would that cost?
- Is the price for the part and labour together, and is there a separate service call charge?
Have this ready for the call
- Door width: single, double or 18-foot, and the make if a label is on the door
- A photo of the bottom edge from inside with the door closed, showing any light
- A photo of one end of the bottom seal, close enough to see the retainer channel
- Where water or snow ends up after a thaw, and since when
- Signs of mice in the garage, if any, and where you found them
Questions people ask
How do I tell which seal has failed?
Light along the floor points to the bottom seal; light along the jambs or header, to the perimeter stop. Garaga lists a threshold seal for a sloped driveway that keeps the door from sitting flat, so mention a slope in your request. Photos of each edge help the company judge before the visit.
What is a retainer, and does mine need replacing?
The retainer is the aluminum or plastic channel on the bottom of the last panel that holds the rubber. When it is cracked, bent or rusted through, a new seal will not stay in, one Calgary firm explains.
Will a new bottom seal keep mice out of the garage?
It closes the gap they use most. Health Canada says mice squeeze through cracks as small as a dime and that worn thresholds under doors let them in. It recommends metal weather stripping under doors. Ask the company whether a rodent-resistant profile fits your retainer.
The door freezes to the floor. Is that the seal?
One Ottawa firm lists frozen weatherstripping among the winter causes of a stuck door. Tell the company whether the ice forms along the whole bottom edge or at one spot, and send a photo.
Can the side stop match the door colour?
Usually, at a higher price than white on the Calgary list. Name the door colour in your request.
