How to Weatherstrip Your Home

Weatherstripping helps keep cold air outside.

Weatherstripping is used to seal cracks in doors and windows, preventing cold air from coming in and saving your energy costs. Weatherstripping can be challenging to install, but the costs of materials are generally inexpensive.

Difficulty:

Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Weatherstripping Your Home

1. Measure the perimeters of the doors and windows you wish to weatherstrip, double-checking your work, and add 5-10 percent to your measurements to account for any possible material waste.

2. Determine the kind of weatherstripping you will need for each location. You can use the weatherstripping chart available from the U.S. Department of Energy (energysavers.gov) to assess your needs in terms of durability and price range.

3. Cut your weatherstripping according to your door and window measurements.

4. Apply weatherstripping to your door(s) in one continuous strip to each side of the door, making sure it fits snugly and meets tightly at the corners.

5. Open and close your door to make sure the weatherstripping doesn't interfere with the door's operation.

6. Apply weatherstripping to your window(s) so that it fits snugly between the sash and the frame.

7. Open and close your window to make sure the weatherstripping doesn't interfere with the window's operation.

Tips & Warnings

• Make sure that your surfaces are dry and the temperature is above 20 degrees Fahrenheit before you apply weatherstripping.

References

• U.S. Department of Energy: Weatherstripping