Weather Stripping Your Windows And Doors

Weatherstripping windows and doors is another way to drastically reduce heat loss or A/C loss from your home. We are all worried about letting out the bought air, when someone leaves the door open, but for many, the door never really shuts.

The first thing you can do to see if this is an issue in your home is to check the seam around an outside door. Check to see if it is letting in light (much more effective if done during the day). If so, then you are losing heat or A/C and replacing the weatherstripping around your door can really help save you some money.

Doors require two different kinds of weatherstripping: Sweeps for the bottom and self-adhesive foam for the top and sides.

Installing Self-Adhesive Foam:

1. Remove old mouldings from the top and sides of the door by taking a pair of pliers and pulling it away from the door frame. It sits in a channel that pins it in and it only takes a little muscle to get it off.
2. Cut self-adhesive foam to fit each side and the top of the door. For the top piece, cut the ends at 45 degrees to give the mouldings more of a seamless look.
3. Peel the back from the foam and press it into the inside of the stop moulding. You feel sort of a locking in of the seam when you push so you know it’s in.

Installing a Door Sweep can be tricky, but do-able.

1. Place the threshold sweep under in the doorway and close the door. This ensures that there is enough room under the door for the sweep. If it does not close, you may want to select a low profile door sweep.
2. Once you have the right sweep, cut the sweep to fit the door. The rubber strip may be easy to cut but if you are using a metal frame sweep, you will need a metal cutting tool to properly cut the metal strip. Then use a metal file to smooth out the cut, so no one gets hurt.
3. With the door closed, screw the sweep to the door so that its bottom is in contact with the floor, ensuring that the sweep is well centered under the door.