The Many Types of Weatherstripping

The Upsides of Choosing the Right Weatherstripping

If you are looking to make your home more energy-efficient, we recommend regularly checking your doors and windows for flaws in the weatherstripping. If you feel a winter breeze or summer warmth seeping into your home from the perimeter of your doors or windows, we recommend upgrading your weatherstripping immediately. (Pro tip: Another great way to check for cracked and inadequate weatherstripping is by having someone shine a flashlight around the perimeter of your doors and windows as you stand on the other side.)

There are many reasons to upgrade weatherstripping. Over time, weatherstripping naturally suffers from wear and tear. If your weatherstripping is old and damaged, it is likely leaking expensively conditioned air. This will significantly diminish your home’s energy efficiency and cause your HVAC unit to work overtime.

The good news: We can insulate your doors and windows without breaking the bank. By installing weatherstripping around the perimeters of your doors and windows, our team can quickly seal unwanted gaps and leaks. Available in numerous materials and styles, each type of weatherstripping offers unique advantages and disadvantages. Today, we’ll go over some of the common types so that you can better choose what is best for you.

Tension-Seal Weatherstripping

Tension-seal weatherstripping (also known as V-strip weatherstripping) uses a V-shaped strip of vinyl, aluminum, or stainless steel to seal the spaces around doors and windows. Folded and pressed against the gaps between doors/windows and jambs, this weatherstripping technique is highly effective at blocking drafts. Two benefits of tension-seal weatherstripping are its durability and low visibility. When installed by an amateur, however, the results can be wonky. If there is any resistance between the weatherstripping and its surroundings, it can become difficult to open doors and windows. Therefore, it is integral that each corner fits snugly and that all surfaces remain flat and smooth. With high-grade equipment and best-in-class materials, our specialists can take care of this task for you.

Felt Weatherstripping

Most felt weatherstripping is rolled, reinforced with a metal strip, and glued, stapled, or tacked into place. It is usually the least expensive route to insulate your doors and windows. It is also easy to install. However, because felt weatherstripping is far less durable than other weatherstripping choices, it is merely a short-term solution. We recommend going with all-wool felt, which will last longer than other felt options.

Reinforced Foam Weatherstripping

Reinforced foam is a popular form of compression weatherstripping. In most cases, we’ll use wooden or metal strips to secure the foam around your doors and windows. We can also attach the foam with easy-to-install tape. Using tape as your adhesive is less reliable long-term, but it can be helpful when trying to install foam weatherstripping into irregular-shaped crevices and cracks.

Whatever type you choose, reinforced foam weatherstripping is an excellent choice for sealing window sashes, door bottoms, and door/window stops – regularly scoring high in wind tests. The downside to foam weatherstripping is that it can be challenging to install. The foam must be sawed, painted, and nailed. It is also visually noticeable – making it an eyesore in some settings.

Door Shoe/Sweep Weatherstripping

A door shoe and a door sweep attach to the bottom of a door to seal gaps. A door shoe consists of U-shaped aluminum and a vinyl insert. A door sweep is a wooden or metal strip fitted with a nylon blade. One benefit of door shoes and sweeps is how easily adjustable they are. They are an excellent solution for sealing uneven thresholds and surfaces.

Automatically retracting door sweeps are particularly appealing for many homeowners because they reduce drag, minimize friction, and thus mitigate wear and tear. That said, the automatically retracting options skew more expensive than regular door shoes and sweeps.

Less Common Kinds of Weatherstripping

1. Frost-Brake Threshold Weatherstripping – This method combines metal, wood, and vinyl into a system that can successfully prevent air leakage. It is highly effective but difficult to install.
2. Pile Weatherstripping – Sometimes referred to as a fin seal, pile weatherstripping consists of dense fibers attached to a metal strip. This option is ideal for sliding glass doors and sliding windows.
3. Magnetic Weatherstripping – This method works similarly to refrigerator gaskets. It is expensive but very effective.
4. Rolled-Vinyl Gasket Weatherstripping – This moderately priced option involves installing rolled-vinyl gaskets in the gaps around doors and windows. It is reasonably priced and reliably effective.

How To Choose the Right Weatherstripping Materials

The differences between the various weatherstripping options can be subtle yet significant. Some additional factors that can be helpful to consider include:

• If you want your weatherstripping to be self-adhesive or manually attached
• If you want your weatherstripping to be rigid or flexible
• If you want your weatherstripping to be thick or thin

Once you’ve settled on a weatherstripping option that works for you, the next step is to install it. Let the specialists at {Sub:BusinessName} take care of this step for you! We’ll meticulously measure the perimeter of your doors and windows, help you choose top-quality materials, and install the weatherstripping with precision and detail. If your door or window needs planing (the process of shaving edges to ensure a door/window opens and closes smoothly), we have the tools and techniques to get the job done right.

Common Door & Window Repairs

Weatherstripping is just one of many door/window repair services that offer at {Sub:BusinessName}. From faltering hinges to misalignments, numerous issues can arise over time. Fortunately, our handy team is eager to help and ready to come to the rescue.

Here are some door and window complications that we frequently fix:

• Cracked glass – When glass cracks, many homeowners think they must replace the entire window. This isn’t always the case. Let us replace the glass panel so that you keep the existing frame.
• Stuck wooden windows – When windows are freshly painted or swollen due to moisture, they can get stuck. We have numerous strategies to remedy such situations.
• Rotted windowsills – If your window is leaking and/or rotted, we can often repair and/or replace the windowsill.
• Wobbly door handles – We have the tools and knowledge to secure unstable door handles.
• A door that won’t swing freely – Often, a door doesn’t quite fit the entryway. It may be necessary to realign the hinges or sand down the section clinging to the frame.
• Stuck deadbolts – A deadbolt that won’t unlock can be frustrating. Sometimes, this issue is as easy as spraying lubrication. Other times, we will have to remove and realign (or replace) the lock cylinder/bolt mechanism.
• Dented doors – We can remove the paint, sand the dented area, and add filler with a putty knife to even out the indented area. After it dries, we will sand the filler again to make it flush. Finally, we will repaint the door.

These are just a few of the many repairs our technicians can tackle. To learn more about our versatile weatherstripping services, contact us online or give our team a call today!

To learn more about our versatile weatherstripping services, contact us online or give our team a call today!