Now that winter is here, you can expect the weather to be colder than usual, making the use of the furnace more than necessary to keep your home warm and comfortable. However, using your furnace will make little difference if your doors are drafty. In fact, drafty doors can cost you a significant amount on your heating bills. Thankfully, it is possible to get around this dilemma.
In this article, Exterior Source, the pros to approach if you want to install replacement windows in your home, teaches you how to prepare your drafty doors for the winter season.
Look for Air Leaks
The first step in winterizing your doors for the upcoming season is to detect the draftiest doors first. That way, you can close these gaps and save energy as soon as possible. There are various ways you can do this; for instance, during the day, you can close the door completely and from inside your home, look around the doorframe for traces of sunlight. If light can be seen, you have air leaks. At night, you can repeat this process with a flashlight.
Another method you can utilize when looking for air leaks is the incense stick method. To accomplish this, simply light the incense stick and pass it around the door edges. If your door has leaks, the flame will flicker or the smoke will move in the draft’s direction.
Seal the Air Leaks
Once you’ve determined if your doors have air leaks, you can now start sealing them up. If there are any visible cracks and holes, you can fill them up with caulk. Give the caulk enough time to dry before reapplying if needed. Apply weatherstripping around the door frame as well while periodically checking if you can close the door all the way. The wider the leaks are, the more weatherstripping you’ll need to apply. If you aren’t certain about doing these on your own, you can always hire a home improvement contractor like Exterior Source to get the job done.
On the other hand, if you don’t have time to apply these, you can add a simple draft guard between the bottom of the door and threshold. If you prefer, you can substitute a towel in place of the draft guard instead.
Planning to install seamless gutters in your home? Simply turn to Exterior Source. When it comes to gutter and patio door replacement services, we are the area’s #1 expert and we won’t let you down! Give us a call at (804) 275-5323 or (757) 464-2060. You can also fill out our contact form to request a FREE quote.