Many homes, both old and new, experience drafts. These drafts allow cold in to come through the spaces around your exterior doors, causing your home to be chilly and uncomfortable. This often means you end up constantly cranking up the thermostat, hoping to establish some comfort and normalcy in the temperature of your home.
Instead of wasting energy and causing your energy bill to soar each month, weather-strip your door to make them draft free. Here are 5 weather-stripping tips that can help you reduce drafts from the doors in your home.
- First you need to find out where the drafts are located so that you know where weather stripping installation will be appropriate and worthwhile. For doors, you can find any gaps by using a flashlight. Make sure it is nighttime, and turn off the inside lights. Have a friend stand outside to look.While inside, you can shine a flashlight under the doorframe. If the light passes through and your friend can see, than the gap under the door is too large and will need to be sealed with weather stripping. Another way to determine if weather-stripping is needed is to slide a piece of paper or a dollar bill under the door. If it fits through, the gap is too big.
- Next, you should decide what type of weather-stripping you prefer to use to seal off drafts around your doorway. Typically homeowners will use the simplest method that provides solid results. This is usually adhesive-backed foam. Foam weather stripping is extremely easy to install and requires homeowners to follow a few simple steps, which can be found in the user’s manual. You may also choose a nail-on version if you prefer that to adhesive.
- Another option may be a bit more expensive, but it will provide you with upgraded quality. Rubber-gasket weather-stripping is heavy duty and will seal your door effectively and thoroughly. Gaskets are flexible and so they are able to use strong compression to seal all drafts and leaks. Some brand us adhesive while others use staples or nails to attach the gasket to the door frame.
- Many people like to add another layer of protection from drafts in the form of door-sweeps. Door sweeps simple attach underneath the door with adhesive or screws. This seals drafts from under the door and can also help to keep out unwanted debris, dust and dirt that can seep inside and lower the air quality of your home.
- Finally, many homeowners also choose to install door thresholds. These come in a variety of materials such as metal, hardwood, aluminum and more. They are quite affordable and use risers to fit between the floor and the bottom of the door where they work to tightly seal the bottom of a door. You can find thresholds at any local hardware store or home and garden center.
Instead of calling a Fall furnace service to do repairs, or replacing your heating system altogether, start at the source of the problem–drafts! Weather stripping your doors will make a huge difference and will likely solve all of your indoor temperature regulation problems simply, effectively, and affordably.