How to Weatherstrip Doors

With spring in full force, maintaining your home is probably top of mind. Replacing battered weather stripping on your doors can help improve energy efficiency in the home. As we get closer to the hotter summer months, updating your weather stripping will help retain as much A/C in the house as possible. In the winter, it will stop annoying drafts.

This is a simple job that will likely cost you less than $20 to do, but will save you plenty of money in the long run!

1 | CHECK FOR LOOSE HINGES

Rusty or loose hinges can leave gaps in your doorway, opening the space for drafts and other air leaks. To check, lift your door up by the doorknob and check for loose hinges. If the door moves upward, tighten the top hinge screws. This might solve some of your air leak issues!

2 | OBTAIN WEATHERSTRIPPING

You will be able to find all types of weatherstripping at most hardware and home stores. The most common types are wrapped foam wood flange, wrapped foam metal flange, and vinyl/silicon bulb. You will also be able to find replacement kits there as well.

3 | Cut Weatherstripping

A weatherstripping kit will come with two long pieces for side jambs and a short piece for the top jamb. Close your door and measure the top and side lengths of the door. Cut the weatherstripping according to those measurements. It is crucial to make precise measurements and cuts to get the best, airtight fit.

4 | NAIL WEATHERSTRIPPING

Position the nails about 3 inches in from each end of the frame to avoid splitting, and space other nails at about every 12 inches. The trick is to position the new weatherstripping against a closed door so that it compresses slightly along its entire length.

It is critical to make sure that the door shuts and latches easily before driving the nails in entirely.

5 | INSTALL DOOR SWEEP

The last bit is to install the door sweep at the bottom of your doors. Door sweeps last longer than bulb-type weatherstripping attached to the thresholds of the door in most cases. If you have a carpet or a rug by the door, don’t use a sweep.