How to Install Weather Stripping: Protect Your Home from the Elements

Sooner or later, you feel it – a gust of chilly wind coming from the old window or the front door, air leaks heralding a higher energy bill and a long struggle with your thermostat. But, constantly fiddling with your thermostat isn't the best way to solve a draft. It's weather stripping.

Indeed, weather stripping is a fundamental aspect of home improvement and can help you keep your Triad home safe from the elements all year round, plus save you a bundle on your utility bill. On top of that, weather stripping is a key component of home energy efficiency! Contact our team online at Window World of the Triad to learn how easy it is to install weather stripping for doors and windows alike.

Weather stripping - what does it do?

Even properly installed doors and windows might leave tiny gaps between their frames and edges. Those small gaps can let cool or warm air sneak inside, resulting in annoying drafts. Worse, many windows and doors can warp or bend over time, causing those gaps to become ever-larger drains on your air conditioning system.

Think of weather stripping as a secondary material you can add to the frames of your home’s windows or doors. Once applied, it expands and seals up the small gaps between those window/door edges and their frames.

Weather stripping is an easy and effective DIY way to plug up drafts and keep your windows and doors sealed against the elements, ranging from rain and snow to chilling wind and everything in between.

Weather stripping types

There are a few different types of weather stripping you can use. Here are some examples:

• Felt weather strips, which are affordable and old-fashioned. Some felt strips are backed with adhesive tape, while others are designed to be stapled into place.
• Adhesive-backed foam tape, which is pressure-sensitive and extremely easy to apply. It's the most popular type of weather stripping.
• Vinyl V strips, which are made of durable vinyl. These are popular picks for sealing up gaps between window sashes and frames thanks to their “V” shape.

Do you really need weather stripping?

If you notice a draft around your front door, sliding patio door, or windows, weather stripping could help you solve the problem quickly and easily. Rather than getting rid of a perfectly good front door, for instance, you can apply weather stripping to its borders in a matter of minutes. You’ll start saving money on your energy bill immediately, especially if you pair weather strips with energy-efficient windows, like these vinyl windows from Mezzo.

Once applied, weather stripping doesn't just seal drafts but also:

• Minimizes noise transmission from the outside
• Prevents insects from getting indoors
• Stops moisture from seeping into the material of your door or window sash – a big problem if you have something like a wood front door, for example

With so many benefits, it might be wise to buy a bundle of weather stripping and tuck it away for later as a “just-in-case” supply.

Installing weather stripping like a pro

But, what if you need to plug up a draft right now? In that case, just follow this step-by-step guide on how to replace weather stripping as capably as a professional contractor!

Collect your tools

Every DIY home repair project requires the right tools. To install weather stripping, collect:

• A tape measure
• Scissors
• A sponge and bucket of warm water
• Your weather stripping of choice
• A putty knife (if needed)

For this guide, we’ll assume you use adhesive-backed foam tape or some other adhesive weather stripping.

Measure your current weather stripping

If your door or window frame already has weather stripping around it, measure it carefully. Write those numbers down – they’re the best reference digits for how you should cut your new weather strips to fit your drafty window or door.

If you don’t have weather stripping around your target area, use the tape measure to determine the length of each bare side of your window or door instead. Double-hung or double-slider windows, like these Wincore Windows, require separate strips for each window side – don’t cut one strip for both halves.

Remove the old weather stripping

Next, pull off or cut away the old weather stripping. Use scissors or a putty knife, based on what’s easiest for you.

Scrub the gunk away and dry

Then, soak your sponge in warm water (and soap, if you prefer) and thoroughly clean the area where the old weather stripping once was. If you didn’t have weatherstripping around your door or window before, give it a good scrub anyway – the less dirt and grime there is beneath your new weather strips, the better they’ll stick. Then completely dry the surface for best results.

Cut your new weather stripping

Now, take your scissors and carefully cut new weather strips to length for your window or door frame. If it’s your first time installing weather stripping, cut a small test strip first. Purchase a little extra weather stripping than you think you’ll need, just in case!

Peel the adhesive, then press down hard

You're almost finished. Peel off the adhesive side of your foam weather stripping tape, then press the sticky side to the surface of your door frame or window sash. Do not apply the weather stripping to the moving window or door itself. This is a common mistake!

You want the weather stripping to stay on the frame of your door or window. It’ll last longer and work better than constantly moving each time you open your front door or crack your window for a bit of fresh air.

Most sticky adhesive weather stripping requires you to press down for around 10 to 20 seconds. Push down hard to get that adhesive bond going, then release. Give your door or window a few test opens to make sure everything fits perfectly, just as before.

Finish up with a door sweep if needed

If you’re weather stripping a window, you’re done! But, if you’re weather stripping your door, there’s one last step: installing a door sweep (assuming your front door doesn’t have one already).

Door sweeps are handy accessories that attach to the bottom interior side of your front door. They can be made of plastic, steel, sponge, or broom-like bristles, but they all accomplish the same goal of further insulating your door and acting as a physical barrier near the floor, where tough weather stripping might eventually be ground down.

Like with weather strips, cut your door sweep to fit your front door, then close your door and screw it into the bottom or use the sticky adhesive side (depending on the sweep you purchase). Ta-da! Now, you’ve got a practically airtight front door ready for any weather ahead.

As effective as weather stripping is, it’s not always the ideal fix. If your entry door or windows are cracked all over, warped, or just plain old, it might be time for a replacement. Window World of the Triad has the right replacement windows and doors for your home. Call 336-364-5014, visit our showroom, or use our convenient online form to request your free quote!