How to Inspect Weather Stripping

Weather stripping problems cause more than nasty drafts—they usually cost the homeowner in higher energy bills, too. Learning how to inspect the weather strips in your home can help keep your budget on track and make your home feel a lot more comfortable.

Inspection of weather strips around the home

Friction, age and extreme weather can damage the weatherstrips around your doors and windows. After a while, they can wear out or crack and lose their effectiveness. It’s a good idea to check your weatherstrips once a year to make sure everything is working well.

The weatherstrips around doors often need to be repaired or replaced simply due to normal wear and tear. Look for obvious gaps, tears, dents, and broken pieces in the stripping. You can also wait for the sun to set and have someone shine around the door edges with a flashlight. Bright light leaking through indicates a problem with the seal that may need repair.

Weatherstrips around windows can be inspected by holding a flame near the window frame. As the flame sways, air comes in through a gap. You can also try sliding a piece of paper between the window and the window frame. If the paper slides in easily, the seal is not effective.

How to repair weatherstrips

Most weather strips are easy to repair. Simply remove the old, damaged sealing sheet and follow the instructions on the new sealing pack. If the new weatherstrip is not self-adhesive, use silicone caulk or staples to secure it to the surface. You can also replace damaged sections of existing weatherstrips instead of removing them entirely.

Types of sealing strips

There are a few different types of weatherstripping, including these three:

toggle latch

This common choice for weatherstripping is adhesive on one side. The strip presses against both sides of a crack to effectively block drafts. It is a good choice for sliding windows and the top and sides of doors.

felt

Felt is an inexpensive material for weather stripping, but it doesn’t last as long as plastic or vinyl. Glue or staples are required for attachment. Felt works best around windows or doors that are rarely used.

sweep door

Door sweeps are usually made of aluminum or stainless steel with plastic, sponge or felt brushes. They attach to the underside of a swinging door to prevent air from getting underneath.

Keeping the weather strips in top condition is an easy DIY project that should be done once a year. Don’t let money seep out of the cracks around your windows and doors – keep your seals tight to lower your energy bills.

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