If you hadn’t noticed, the winter weather is definitely here. This means cold days and even colder nights. It also means that you are probably taking measures to batten down the hatches to make sure your home is warm and protected from the low temperatures. One of the most essential parts of this process is weatherization – of your windows, your attic, your foundational wall, and your doors. Speaking of your doors, some of your biggest energy leaks could be coming from either your front door or backdoor – if you have a backdoor. Because a door can have so many vulnerabilities, it is important to take measures to seal your door properly. Here are five helpful door weatherization tips for homeowners.
- Place a weather strip on your door. One of the best ways to weatherize your door is to place weatherstripping on the bottom. You know that one inch or half inch space at the bottom of your door? A lot of energy can escape through that space, so you want to install weatherstripping to stop the energy leakage.
- Seal all cracks and leaks. If you see visible cracks and other vulnerabilities in your door, you want to take epoxy resin and seal those leaks. These leaks may look small, but the truth is that they can actually let in a lot of the outdoor air and they can cause your indoor air to escape. If you are running your heating system, or your air conditioner, you could be wasting a lot of energy and money because of these leaks. Sealing these energy leaks is an easy and inexpensive fix. Plus, it won’t take very long at all.
- Replace the entire door if it is old and worn. If there are too many leaks, or if the door is old and worn, it may be time to replace it. To replace your front door, you want to find a reputable door installer, like Lyndhurst Lumber, and you want to have the new door fashioned according to the dimensions of the doorframe. When looking for wood for your new door, you want to find something thick and impermeable. Your door will be a bulwark against the elements.
- Reseal your lookout window or peephole. If you have a peephole or a lookout window, you may have to reseal the area around the space that is cut out. Oftentimes, the sealant can become old and cracked. If you put your hand in front of the sealant and feel air coming out, you definitely need to reseal. You can usually use epoxy resin to reseal the area. After it dries, you want to place your hand over the area one more time to ensure that you sealed the leak.
- Weatherproof the doorframe. On top of everything, you may want to add a strip of weatherproofing around the doorframe. With some door frames, the door doesn’t entirely match up, which leaves a few millimeters of space. Ideally, you want to make sure there is no space, because you could have major energy leakage on your hands. In the end, weatherproofing along the doorframe will ensure that your door is completely weatherized.