Weatherstripping Doors
Drafts and moisture can penetrate easily through the cracks around an unsealed door. You can shut them out by applying weatherstripping to the door bottom and jambs. On these pages are a few of the types available. Before installing weatherstripping, be sure to correct any fit problems on the door itself.
Types of weatherstripping. For sealing the bottom of a door, you can use a rain drip, door sweep, automatic
sweep, or door shoe (see below). Rain drips merely shed rain; other types block both drafts and moisture. Also available are special thresholds that act as weatherstripping. Each comes in standard door widths but can usually be trimmed to fit.
For weatherstripping a door jamb, select spring-metal or cushion-metal, gasket, felt, or interlocking weatherstripping (see facing page). Spring-metal and cushion-metal types provide an efficient seal and are unobtrusive, but they tend to make a door difficult to open and close. Gasket weatherstripping, which includes felt, may be pliable or rigid; both types are efficient, though very visible.
Interlocking weatherstripping for both door bottoms and jambs can be either surface mounted or recessed in the door. Both installations require pre-cise fitting. The recessed type (not shown here) fits into grooves routed in both the door and frame; unless you’re handy with tools, it’s best to let a professional install it.
Adjusting existing weatherstrip-ping. If your weatherstripping is inef-fective, try these simple repairs. Bend
cushion-metal or spring-metal weatherstripping to increase the pressure on the door If threshold weather-
stripping has elongated screw holes, adjust the height for a better fit. The vinyl insert in a vinyl-gasket threshold is replaceable.
Six Kinds Of Threshold Weatherstriooing
Four Types Of Jamb Weatherstripping
