Weather-stripping

Keep those drafts at bay.

Did you know as much as 7-12 percent of a building's heating and cooling loss occurs around windows and doors? So, jettison those leaks, and weather-strip to seal around movable joints like as doors or windows. Most weather-stripping is a do-it-yourself job. When you shop for weather-stripping, consider how durable the material needs to be: Is this a heavily used door or a window that's almost always closed? Many varieties of weather-stripping are available.

The first step in weather-stripping your home is to perform a home energy evaluation or audit. This evaluation or audit will tell you the areas that are losing you the most energy. From there, you can determine which of the following practices are necessary to properly weatherize your home.

Types of weather-stripping

• Threshold weather-stripping. Measure your door, buy the approximate height and width of material you need and trim to final size. Nail into place.
• Door-bottom weather-stripping. Aluminum and vinyl stripping for the bottom of your door is inexpensive, fairly easy to install and will last for several years.
• Tubular vinyl gasket stripping. Used for windows and doors, it's durable and flexible enough to seal uneven gaps and joints.
• Thin spring metal stripping. Excellent and durable for windows and doors, this is probably the most expensive. It's practically invisible when properly applied but is best installed by a professional.
• Foam-backed tape. Easy to install and inexpensive, it also wears out easily. Good for windows and doors that aren’t frequently used.