Air seeping into the home through exterior doors is an annoyance for all homeowners. It doesn’t matter if it is the coldest part of winter or the middle of summer.
Airflow coming from the outside into the inside of the home causes drafts that you never want and can even raise your electric bill if unfixed. Fortunately, there are a few ways to repair this issue and cut down your electric bill. Here are three ways you can keep that door sealed and prevent that extra air flow.
Weatherstripping is one of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to fix drafts coming in from exterior doors. As time passes, weatherstripping breaks down, it dries out and becomes ineffective allowing air to flow through the cracks.
Addressing this common problem is quite easy. Once you realize your weatherstripping needs fixed decide on what materials you want to use to fix it. Choose materials like adhesive-backed foam, metal strips or rubber. When installing make sure whichever product you choose creates a tight seal around the door frame. Once installed, these materials will help keep warm and cool air in and hot and cold air out. Doing so will keep your home comfortable and cut down on any electric bills that may have raised in cost because of bad air flow.
Small cracks and gaps in the door frame are another area that can let in air from the outside. Caulking is a great tool to fix this issue. Use caulking to seal small openings along the edges of the door frame that allows air to seep out and escape from the inside. For larger gaps, choose a caulking foam that expands to helps seal these areas. This caulking material will fill the gaps and create an airtight barrier making it impossible for air to enter or escape from the home.
As an added tip, if you choose to use expanding foam use it minimally as it will expand much more than you might expect. This expansion can put added pressure on door frames and wooden joints making the door not sit right in the frame causing other issues. If unsure which product to use speak with a professional door installer or door framer beforehand for proper instructions.
A door sweep is a great quick fix when it comes to preventing outside air from entering the home. This small device attaches to the bottom of the door and blocks air from entering or exiting the home while still allowing the door to be functional. Door sweeps come in a variety of sizes and shapes so measure your door and door frame before purchasing. Many door sweep options are available such as screw-in models, adhesives and flexible designs like rubber or brush style models. Choose the right one for your situation to help keep out those air drafts.
Using these steps to fix the air flow from entering and exiting your home will help in cutting down on drafts and potentially help with your electric bill. Using door sweeps, weatherstripping and sealing gaps can greatly reduce the air from getting into the home. These few upgrades to your exterior doors not only enhance the comfort of your home but will cut down on overall house cost making it more comfortable, especially in those strong weather parts of the year.
For information on Robinson Trim LLC, a custom door manufacturer in Gilbert, go to https://robinsontrim.com.
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