Easy Weatherproofing for Windows & Doors
If you feel it inside your house when the cold winds of winter blow, you need to examine your windows and doors to see if weatherproofing is needed. Weatherproofing is often performed in late fall but it has all-season benefits. Your chilly feet and hands are all the special equipment you need to determine if there is a draft coming into a room. A few simple items available at your hardware store will get your rooms warm and toasty in no time. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Weatherstripping
- Tape, glue or staples
- Window insulation kit
- Plastic dry cleaner bags
- Scissors
- Blow dryer
- Spray bottle of water
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Instructions
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Survey the chilly room to determine exactly where cold air is entering. Use your open palm to hover an inch or so around interior window frames. Often, you can even hear the air whistling through some very prominent openings. If you can see daylight under a door, there will certainly be cold air coming in under the door as well.
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Purchase weather stripping, and apply it all around either the door itself or the door jam. The most inexpensive and common type of weather stripping is made from felt. Affix it to the door using glue, tacks or heavy-duty staples. Apply weather stripping in one long strip, and make sure seams and connections are tight. The door or window should be slightly hard to close but not impossible to shut to keep out the most air.
A number of different types of weather stripping are available, each with different advantages and costs. Check with your local hardware store specialist to determine what type meets your needs for ease of installation, cost and durability.
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Use plastic bags from the dry cleaners to completely cover drafty windows that won't be opened at all during the season. Cut the plastic about 2 to 3 inches larger than the window to be covered. Affix double-sided tape to the perimeter of the window against the interior frame. Using a hair blow dryer on a medium-hot setting, blow warm air against the plastic to seal it tight against the window panes.
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Use draft dodgers to stop cold air from entering a room from under the door. You can buy draft dodgers or make simple ones by stuffing an old pair of nylon hosiery with heavier fabric like cotton batting and laying it in front of the door.
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References
- Photo Credit window image by horacio villamonte from Fotolia.com
