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Please copy/paste the following text to properly cite this How Stuff Works article:
Club, Fix-It. "How to Install Weatherstripping." 05 May 2006. HowStuffWorks.com. <http://home.howstuffworks.com/how-to-apply-weatherstripping.htm> 14 May 2008.
How to Install Weatherstripping
by
Fix-It Club
Inside This Article
1.
Types of Weatherstripping
2.
Types of Weatherstripping
Rising energy costs can make a cold, drafty house a misery that grows increasingly expensive. Sealing your home with tight-fitting weatherstripping can make you feel warm all winter long. You'll also enjoy the lower utility bills.If you had a 6-inch-square hole in the middle of your front door, you would certainly do something in order to plug it up. Yet there are thousands of homes in which a 1⁄8-inch-wide crack exists all the way around the door, and this gap is just about the equivalent air loss of that 6-inch-square hole. Letting these cracks exist is like throwing dollars out the door or window. Fortunately, weatherstripping can reduce your heating/cooling bills by as much as 30 percent while reducing drafts that can cause discomfort.
Your home may or may not need weatherstripping. Luckily, there are some very simple ways to find out. If you can feel cold air coming in around doors and windows on a windy day, you know the answer. If you are uncertain, you can create your own windstorm at the precise spot where you suspect air might be leaking. Go outside with a handheld hair dryer and have a helper inside move his or her hands around the door and/or window frame as you move the hair dryer.
You may discover that all your doors and windows are airtight. Or you may find a door or window that is airtight around three edges but needs help along the fourth edge. What you will probably conclude, however, is that your home has several drafty areas that would benefit from weatherstripping.
In this article, we'll show you how to install weatherstripping on all parts of your house. We'll also examine the various types of weatherstripping, which is our first order of business.
Types of Weatherstripping
There are several types of weatherstripping because different situations call for different kinds of material. All of the following types are available to homeowners, and most can be used for either doors or windows.
Pressure-sensitive adhesive-backed foam is the easiest weatherstripping to apply, and it is quite inexpensive. Available in both rubber and plastic, adhesive-backed foam comes in rolls of varying lengths and thicknesses. When compressed by a door or window, the foam seals out the air. As an added advantage, these strips also provide a cushioning effect that silences slamming. Though not permanent, this type of weatherstripping can last from one to three years. Avoid getting paint on the material because paint causes the foam to lose its resiliency.
Spring-metal strips (V-shape or single) are available in bronze, copper, stainless-steel, and aluminum finishes. Most manufacturers package spring-metal weatherstripping in rolls, and they include the brads necessary for installation. Although this kind of weatherstripping seems like a simple installation, it does require patience.
Self-sticking spring metal has a peel-and-stick backing. These are like the standard spring-metal strips just described, but they are far easier to install.
Felt is one of the old standbys and is very economical. It comes in a variety of widths, thicknesses, qualities, and colors (brown, gray, and black). Felt strips are usually nailed in place, but they are also available with a pressure-sensitive adhesive backing.
Serrated metal is felt-or vinyl-backed weatherstripping that combines the sturdiness of metal with the application ease of felt. Most manufacturers package serrated-metal weatherstripping in rolls that include brads for installation.
Tubular gasket weatherstripping is made of extremely flexible vinyl. It is usually applied outside where it easily conforms to uneven places. Available in white and gray, it cannot be painted because paint causes the tube to stiffen and lose its flexibility.
Foam-filled tubular gasket weatherstripping includes a foam core in the tubular part of the gasket just described. The foam provides extra insulating qualities and extra strength. Moreover, the foam-filled tubular gasket will hold its shape better than the hollow-tube type. It should not be painted.
 © Interlocking metal weatherstripping can provide a secure seal as long as the separate pieces fit together as they should. Installation is tricky, and maintenance requires careful examination for bent pieces. |
Jalousie gaskets are clear vinyl tracks that can be cut to fit over the edges of jalousie louvers. They snap in place for a friction fit.
Read the next page to learn how to put all of these types of weatherstripping to good use.
Inside This Article
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Please copy/paste the following text to properly cite this How Stuff Works article:
Club, Fix-It. "How to Install Weatherstripping." 05 May 2006. HowStuffWorks.com. <http://home.howstuffworks.com/how-to-apply-weatherstripping.htm> 14 May 2008.
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