Weatherstripping
Windows and Doors
If your windows or doors are too inefficient it’s more
advantageous to replace them than to make improvements. You will
recovery the investment through lower heating and cooling costs.
Anyway, in
many cases, improving the energy efficiency of
existing
windows and doors – sealing them through weatherstripping
or caulking - is a good and cheap solution.
Weatherstripping Materials
Weatherstripping can involve a wide variety of materials with
different resistance to use and friction, weather, moisture,
etc. Felt and open-cell foams, for instance, are cheap
materials, but susceptible to weather and inefficient at
blocking airflow, while vinyl or metals (bronze, copper,
aluminum…) last for years.
Not all weatherstripping materials are equally suitable: a door bottom or the sliding of panes
of windows demand different weatherstripping materials. Each
specific location may demand different products, due to
functional reasons but also to aesthetic ones: some materials
are surface mounted and are visible, while others can’t be seen
when the door or window is closed.
Weatherstripping application
Some weatherstripping installations are particularly simple,
while others are rather technical. Just follow weatherstripping packages. They include installation instructions and
diagrams.
A
few general guidelines:
- Surfaces should be clean and dry and current temperatures
shouldn’t be negative
- Be attentive to the consequences of weatherstripping:
weatherstripping should seal well the closed
door or windows but shouldn’t obstruct their opening.
- Make sure the weatherstripping meets tightly at the corners.
- Avoid, whenever possible, non-continuous strips...
How Much Weatherstripping you need
Weatherstripping materials comes in varying depths and widths.
You may buy weatherstripping handy kits for a single door or
window, or purchase them by the foot. To know how much
weatherstripping you need, just take into account the perimeters
of all windows and doors you want to weatherstipping. Then add
around
10% for wastes.
Sliding aluminum windows and sliding glass doors
You may use pile weather-strip with plastic fin (centered in
pile): this is a durable material, though rather difficult to
install.
Double hung and sliding windows
You may use V-shape self-stick vinyl and springy metal (copper,
bronze, aluminum, steal….) strips shaped to bridge gaps and
cracks and to block drafts. The shape of these materials allows
an effective sealing. These materials are mostly applied inside the
track of double-hung and sliding windows, and on top and sides
of doors.
Casement windows
You may use
Bronze Weather Strip: it’s easy to install and
durable, and excellent for tacking
to door jamb and
for
casement windows.
Around (patio and
garden) doors and windows
You may use tubular rubber and vinyl, with a flange to staple or
tack.
Door bottoms
To
seal the space beneath doors you can use a door shoe (C-shape
attachment of aluminum and vinyl), a frost-brake threshold
(metal attachment with door-bottom seam and vinyl threshold
replacement) or a rigid strip of rolled
or reinforced vinyl.
Door and window jambs, stops and sash
Popular options include Vinyl V-Seal Weather Strip and
Rolled and Reinforced Vinyl: they are easy to install, and
very durable and resistant to moisture or temperature. They come
in many colors.
Reinforced silicone: excellent sealing (tricky to
install) for door and windows jambs and window stops.
Cracks in windows, doors or around air
conditioners
You may use Weather Strip and Caulking Cord
(applied
by pressing in place) and Air Conditioner Weather Strip (rectangular poly-foam also applied by pressing).
More general-purpose materials
Sponge Rubber Neoprene-Coated Strip
Round sponge rubber (with a spring steel for attachment). This
material is particular strong and excellent for bottom of doors
and sides (fasten to door jamb). Also excellent on windows
frames, stops, and sashes.
Vinyl Weather Strip
Durable and easily applied to wood or metal (with tacks, screws,
adhesive or staples) in door and window jamb, stops, or sash.
Cheap and popular weatherstripping materials, though less
effective in many situations
EDPM (Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer) rubber
Used on top and bottom of window sash, door frames, attic
hatches and for blocking corners and irregular cracks.
Aluminum and Felt Strip
Used in door jambs and window stops and for round-top doors.
Felt Weather Strip
This type of felt is easy to apply in door stops, sills and
sashes.
Self-adhesive Foam Tapes
These foams – made of sponge rubber or vinyl - are mainly used on
door and window jambs, stops, and sash.
See also:
Basics on Advanced Energy
Efficient Windows, Skylights and Doors
Back to top Windows, Skylights, Doors
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