How to Weather Strip Your Door

When cold air is pouring in from around your doors, your weather stripping has passed its point of usefulness – assuming, of course, the door had weather stripping in the first place. Either way, the goal is to stop the cold air from entering while preventing heating system from simultaneously escaping outdoors.

Ready to tackle the job yourself but feel like you could benefit from a few pointers?  Well, here they are from your friends at Air Professionals:   

Know your options

Weather Strip Your Door
Start by looking at the door frame to see what kind of weather stripping was used before, if any.  Also, measure the space between the frame and door.  Then head to the hardware store to try to match the material or ask an associate for assistance.  The two basic types are foam and tube stripping, the latter designed to fill in larger gaps. 

Prepare the surface

Start by removing old weather stripping with a knife or razor blade. Next, clean away leftover adhesive, oil, and dirt with a warm, soapy washcloth. This will allow the new weather stripping to fully adhere and form the kind of tight seal you want to keep your heat indoors.

Attach the weather stripping

Weather stripping comes in rolls – one side of the material being sticky to create a lasting seal between the strip and door frame. Apply the sticky side to the door frame and use scissors to cut off any excess material, taking care to cover the entire door frame surface area. Once you’ve finished applying the material to the top and sides of the door frame, close the door and double check that all the gaps are filled and that the door closes properly.

Making adjustments

While double checking the gaps, you may find that some spaces aren’t filled in all the way with the new weather stripping. One possible solution is adding a second layer in those spots only.  Conversely, other areas may be so tight you can’t properly shut your door.  In that instance, you can replace only as much of the stripping as necessary with the same but thinner version of your material.     

Still, what happens if all entry and exit doors are properly weather stripped but you’re still not feeling all that warm and cozy?  That’s when it’s time to call Air Professionals for a heating system cleaning and inspection.  Very often, that’s all it takes to get your system back up to top operating efficiency.  But if we do uncover a repair issue, better to resolve it now before things get any worse.  Contact Air Professionals today for the prompt and reliable home heating we know you expect and value.  

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