How to Keep Glass Doors From Leaking Air

Glass doors allow the sun and and view enhance a room.

Glass doors let in the view from outside, but they also sometimes let in cold air. This can usually be attributed to poor weatherstripping. Weatherstripping seals the tiny crack between the door and the frame where it meets the wall. Even good weatherstripping eventually gets worn down by the repeated motions of a door opening and closing. Prevent this by replacing weatherstripping as needed.

Things You'll Need

• Stick-on or pressure-sensitive weatherstripping
• Scissors or utility knife
• Measuring tape
• Door sweep
• Screwdriver
• Screws

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Instructions

1. Clean and dry the stop molding, which is attached to the frame, and the door frame.

2. Measure the length of the door from top to bottom and the width of the door. The weatherstripping will be applied to the top and to both sides of the door only, not the bottom.

3. Cut the weatherstripping to fit the top and sides of the door.

4. Press the weatherstripping into the seam along the top of the door if it is pressure-sensitive stripping or peel the back off first if it is self-adhesive. Repeat for the sides of the door.

5. Cut the door sweep to fit the width of the door.

6. Screw the door sweep to the bottom of the door at a height so that it just touches the floor. It should drag slightly along the floor when you open and close the door.

Tips & Warnings

• Sliding-glass doors will not use a door sweep due to the fact that they run along a track. Instead, install the weather stripping along the bottom and top tracks against the side of the track. It should not interfere with the motion of the door. Don't forget to also run weatherstripping along the space where the door meets the frame when it is closed.

• Don't install weatherstripping in hot or cold temperatures as it might interfere with the fit or adhesive nature of the weatherstripping.

• Glass is not a good insulator, so by their very nature, glass doors leak more air than other types of doors.

References

• U.S. Department of Energy: Weatherstripping
• Lowes: Weatherstrip Windows and Doors
• Reliable Remodeler.com: Stop That Draft: Weatherstripping Sliding Glass Doors