If you’re weatherstripping doors due to old, worn-out stripping that needs to be replaced, there are a few simple guidelines that help you get the job done faster and with better, longer-lasting results. If you’re adding weatherstripping to a new door for the first time, you will follow these same guidelines with the exception of the portion explaining how to remove old weatherstripping, but before you add any new door seals, you will need to ensure that your doorframe has channels routed into it where the weatherstripping goes, as well as both an attached channel, free channel, and a glide where the silicone sweep at the bottom of the door goes to keep air from coming in at the base of the entryway.
Weatherstripping Doors with Existing, Worn Out Door Seals: What You Need and Removing Old Weatherstripping
If you recently noticed during the changing of the seasons that your existing entryways are drafty, allowing the cold air of winter or the hot air of summer is slipping through the cracks creating hot spots around the exterior entrances to your home, it is definitely time to head to the hardware store for the tools you need to re-weatherstrip your doors. To begin, you’re going to need a tape measure, a utility knife, a putty knife, a (most likely Phillip’s head) screwdriver, a hammer, a drill, and you may need adhesive removing spray and/or a pry bar. Before you head to the hardware store, try to get a sample of the weatherstripping from any door in your home where it needs to be replaced. To do this, use a utility knife or box cutter to remove a section by cutting about a six-inch piece out and scraping it off the doorframe. Additionally, put your drill in reverse and unscrew a nail or two from the frame so you will have samples of both the stripping and the screws to show an employee at the hardware outlet. This will expedite the process exponentially and also ensure that you’re getting exactly the stripping you need — and, in the event, your weatherstripping is not in stock, while you wait for it to arrive after ordering from the hardware store or online, you haven’t already completely removed the weatherstripping on any exterior entryways!
Adding New Weatherstripping to Doors After Removing Old Door Sealing
Once you have what you need, you’re going to begin by using your drill to remove all of the screws from the existing stripping around the entire door. In some cases, you may need to pry them out if your weatherstripping was put in with nails, but when you reapply your new stripping, you’ll be better served to use screws if they were not utilized the first time, as it creates a firmer hold and makes replacing again in a decade or so much easier. Next, you will measure the distance from one end of the door jamb to the other for the top and side of the door and use this measurement to decide the length of weatherstripping you’ll cut with your utility knife. Next, put the new stripping in place, press down firmly, and close the door to ensure there is nothing sticking out or stripping in the way that makes closing the door harder or not possible. Once you have ensured your door weatherstripping is perfectly in place, drill the screws into the appropriate places ensuring there are no overlapping pieces where the top and horizontal weatherstripping meet. All set — you’ll be draft-free for 10+ years!
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