Door with Weather Stripping

How To Install Weatherstripping On a Door

Installing weatherstripping around the exterior doors of your home is a quick and easy way for homeowners to reduce their heating costs this winter. Even if there’s no visible cracks under the bottom of your doors, thermal energy could still be escaping, costing you hundreds of dollars in utility costs over the course of the winter season. While there are several different precautionary steps homeowners can take to reduce their energy costs, installing weatherizing their doors and windows is arguably one of the easiest and most effective techniques. In this post, we’re going to walk you through the steps on how to install weatherstripping on a door.

Choosing The Right Weatherstripping

Unless you’ve installed it in the past, you might be surprised to learn just how many different types of weatherstripping there are for sale. Some of them are installed with nails or screws, while others feature a self-adhesive backing. It’s recommended that you stick with self-adhesive foam-material weatherstripping to maximize your home’s energy-efficiency while reducing the work required for installation. Messing with nails or screws adds a whole new level of difficulty to this project.

Preparation

Before you start, first check to see if there’s any old weatherstripping currently present on your door. Whether it’s full weatherstripping or partial bits and pieces, you’ll need to peel it off before trying to install new weatherstripping. Depending on how many doors you intend to weatherize, this should only take a couple minutes of your time. After removing the old weatherstripping, use a piece of light-grit sandpaper to smooth out the surfaces and scrub off any excess residue left behind.

One last in step in preparation is getting the necessary measurements. Some homeowners assume that weatherstripping can only be installed underneath the door (known as the door sweep), but this isn’t the case. In addition to the door sweep, weatherstripping can also be installed on the side and top door jambs, so make sure you get these measurements as well.

Installing Weatherstripping

Once you’ve got the measurements for the door sweep, top door jamb and side door jamb, go ahead and cut three pieces of weatherstripping to fit. It’s important to note that weatherstripping should be cut just slightly longer than your door’s measurements, as this will give you some room for error. To install it, simply peel off the plastic backing to reveal the adhesive side and press it along the edge of your door. Press down firmly on the weatherstripping to help release any trapped air pockets, as this can have a devastating effect on weatherstripping.

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