Your Airtight Cincinnati Home: A Simple Guide to Weatherstripping

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With winter upon us, it’s time to check windows and doors for air leaks and add weatherstripping where it’s needed. Weatherstripping will save you on heating costs by keeping cold air out and warm air in; it will also improve home comfort by eliminating pesky drafts.

Doors

There are several types of weatherstripping that work well on doors. Metals such as stainless steel, copper and aluminum can be attached at the bottom and along the door’s side. The aluminum or stainless strip should be attached on the inside if the door opens inward and on the outside for doors that swing out. This type of weatherstripping should last for several years.

A peel and stick V-strip works as a tension seal along the sides and tops of doors. Felt strips can also be used in the door jams but that strip will probably last only a year or two. Foam tape that works on the inside of the door jam also has a short lifespan.

A vinyl or rubber door sweep fits below a metal strip over the threshold of a door. It’s applied on the interior side of a door and it can brush the carpet or hard flooring while forming a seal. The sweep can occasionally be applied to the side of a door.

Windows

Some of the same materials can be used on window sashes to seal them during cold weather. Windows will receive less use than doors during the winter months and the foam or felt stripping may last longer.

A tubular strip of silicone, vinyl or rubber can be placed at the top or bottom of a window sash. V-strips can also be used for windows.

Mix weatherstripping materials based on your needs for windows and doors.

Apollo Home Heating Cooling and Plumbing, serving the Cincinnati area since 1910, urges homeowners seal doors and windows. Call Apollo Home with any questions about servicing your heating and ventilation system.

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