How to Check Weather Stripping in Fall

By eHow Home & Garden Editor

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Drafty doors and windows can severely affect the heating efficiency of your home. Luckily, weather stripping is a simple process that can decrease those drafts. Over time, weather stripping can wear out or become ineffective, so you'll need to check it every fall.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

Small handheld fan
Extension cord

Step1

Check the door and window frames on a windy day. If you can feel the wind coming in around the seams, then something is wrong with your weather stripping. Even without wind, you will be able to feel for drafts in leaky weather stripping.

Step2

Set up the small fan outside with an extension cord so it can be moved around. Be sure the fan is fairly strong on the "high" setting.

Step3

Walk around from window to window with the fan. This method will only work on ground floor windows unless you've got a ladder. Slowly move the fan around the perimeter of each window.

Step4

Check for drafts inside the house. There should be a second person inside the house feeling for drafts as the fan blows air on the window.

Step5

Mark each drafty stop in the weather stripping with light pencil or pen.

Step6

Look at the draft markings on each window and decide if the weather stripping needs to be touched up or replaced completely.

Step7

Talk to someone at a hardware store about the different types of weather stripping you can buy. When you replace the old weather stripping on windows and doors, remember to consider the expected longevity of the new weather stripping.

Tips & Warnings

While the fall to winter transition is a good time to check weather stripping, it might be worthwhile to check it again in the spring. If you use air conditioning in the summer, you can save money by keeping the cool air inside with weather stripping as well.
Sealing windows up with caulk is a good way to add weather stripping to a second floor window in the fall. This way you won't have to test those windows.
Don't use styrofoam weather stripping on doors or windows. Although this material is inexpensive, it probably won't last more than one winter in most homes.
Be very careful if you use the fan method on second floor windows. You'll probably be working from a ladder. Be sure there's a third person that can spot the ladder.