How to Weatherstrip a Door

Adding weatherstripping to a door will reduce your energy bills.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• weatherstripping

1. 
    

   The first step is to determine if you need to replace old/torn weather stripping or are adding weather-stripping where there has never been any. New homes likely have weather-stripping and the door frame will have a slot for built in weather-stripping. (see pic). Older homes will likely have none.

2. 
    
   bottom weatherstripping

   Adding weather stripping to a door in an older home requires three steps: (1) adding weather-stripping to the bottom of the door, (2) adding weather-stripping to the door frame and (3) by adjusting the door to close properly.
   1. Major home improvement stores sell bottom weather-stripping (white or brown) that installs easily and is adjustable for height over about a 1/4" range.
   -If you live in a newer home then you can adjust threshold height by using a screwdriver on the Phillips head screws embedded. Turning the screw right-or tightening- raises height and turning left lowers the threshold.

3. 
    

   2. Installing weather-stripping on the door frame requires you to measure the gap between the door and frame and choose a weather-stripping slightly thicker. (Tip-get "high compression" foam-this foam compresses easily and fills uneven gaps better). If adding weather-stripping where none has been it is important to install it on the correct surface of the door frame (not the door). There are three sides to install the weather stripping: the door frame where the door striker is, the top frame and the frame where the door hinges are. On the top frame and the frame that has the door striker (non-hinge side) the weather-stripping should be added to the surface that faces you as you open the door. On the door frame hinge side the weather-stripping should be placed on the surface that faces you if you are standing in the door frame looking at the hinges (see pic).
   -Newer homes have built in weather-stripping that you simply push into a slot and is very easily replaced.

4. 
    

   3. After installing the weather-stripping you can adjust slightly for fit by adjusting the door latch striker plate.