If you’ve noticed a bit of a draft coming in around your door, then it may be time to replace the weather stripping. Why worry about such a small draft? Imagine the small amount of space that air is coming through, all around your door, if it were added together to form a single hole in the middle. How big would that hole be? 4 inches? 6 inches? More? Would a hole that large in the center of your door be okay with you? If the answer is no, then it shouldn’t be okay around the outside edge either.

Proper weather stripping on doors ensures that cool air stays in during the summer and out during the winter, and that means lower heating and cooling bills for you, not to mention lowered energy consumption, which is good for everybody. Here’s a brief tutorial on how to replace the weather stripping on your doors.

Out with the Old

First, you’ll want to remove the old weatherstripping that’s worn out. For adhesive weather stripping, just gently pull it away. If you’re looking at old weather stripping that was nailed or tacked down, you’ll need to employ the claw end of a hammer and gently pull it away – be careful, if the wood in your door frame is aging a little, too much elbow grease here can do damage. Once the old weather stripping is gone, clean off all of the remains with a putty knife, and you’re ready to install the new stuff.

In with the New

Remember the old axiom: measure twice, cut once! Measure the top of the door jamb and both the left and right sides – don’t assume that it’ll be exactly the same on both sides. If you’re installing a new door sweep, measure the bottom as well. Pick up new weather stripping at your local hardware store and simply press it into place where the old, worn out weather stripping was, and voila!

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