Drafty Doors (or How to Keep the Cold Out)

Don't let money slip out the door

When the mercury drops and the wind howls, there's nothing like being warm and snug inside. But drafty doors and windows will quickly put a damper on that as cold air comes in causing unpleasant chills and a rise in energy costs.  This reader is experiencing that first hand and writes;

"I have a draft in my house, I think it's coming from my front door. I've tried putting blankets in front of it and even bought a draft blocker but it just gets in the way. I'm looking for a way to stop this draft without having something sitting in front of my door and getting in the way, is there something I can do about it without having to replace my front door?"

 The first thing to check on is the weatherstripping around the door and the sweep underneath it. These get old and can crack or may get damaged in other ways. Replacing these can help improve the seal around your door which will significantly reduce drafts, it's also much less expensive than getting a new door.

To replace weatherstripping the only tool that is typically needed is a utility knife or pair of sharp scissors. Simply remove the old weatherstripping, use the knife or scissors to cut the new weatherstripping to the right length and then it should snap right into place.

Replacing the door sweep is typically only a little bit more complicated and will usually require a utility knife or pair of sharp scissors and possibly a screwdriver. In some doors the sweep simply slides into a channel under the door. If this is the case, simply slide out the old sweep, cut the new one to length and then slide it in. Some doors have a metal channel that slips around the door. For these doors a screwdriver will need to be used to remove this channel. Then the old sweep can be removed and the new one cut to size and put in place before the metal channel is reattached.

This process is usually not particularly complex and is something most home owners can handle on their own. If a professional is needed a handyman or licensed contractor should be able to perform the job in a fairly short amount of time.