Pay Attention To Your Door’s Weatherstripping. It Could Be Responsible For A Lot Of Energy Loss.
Hi, if you’re a homeowner wondering when should you replace weatherstripping, you’re not alone. We all know you’ve got a long list of small details to keep track of around the house, but this is definitely one of the more important.
Let’s dive right in and answer your questions.
First, just to be clear…
What Is Weatherstripping?
Generally speaking, ‘weatherstripping’ is a word used to denote special sealing products added around your doors (and windows). They come in a range of qualities, price points, and materials. We know them well because here at Today’s Entry Doors, high-quality weatherstripping is a part of every single entry door we customize and install.
Some of the more common types of weatherstripping you’ll see around residential doors includes:
- V-Strips or Tension Seals: Typically installed along the top & sides of your entry doors.
- Rolled Felt: Can come in plain or reinforced with metal. Used around doors in the jamb.
- Foam Tape: Can come in a variety of forms, widths, and thicknesses. For the frame.
- Door Sweeps: Fills threshold gaps, placed along the bottom of the door on the inside.
- Tubular Rubber, Vinyl, Silicone: At the base or bottom; between a door and its jamb.
Why Should I Maintain My Weatherstripping?
Simply put — because it’s estimated that without weatherstripping air leaks can make up to 40% of your home’s heating and cooling losses. And as you can imagine, these numbers are based on the average wear and tear.
If your weatherstripping is in bad shape, then it’s basically costing you money…right now. Here in our neck of the woods, in Orange County, unkempt weatherstripping is causing homes to use up a ton of energy to pump cold air outside into the California heat.
Critical Signs You Should Replace Weatherstripping
- You Feel Obvious Drafts: Do you know how drafty your doors are? When the weatherstripping seems to be okay looking (not visibly damaged), you can use a tissue, a candle, incense smoke, etc. to test for drafts. On the other hand, if you know there are obvious drafts, then it’s time to stop procrastinating.
- Creeping Energy Bills: This is one of the most common catalysts that get homeowners like you to investigate their weatherstripping! Over the span of time, energy bills will creep up as the material degrades. Or, if suddenly the weatherstripping on multiple doors goes out at the same time (common in manufactured homes), you’ll notice a bump in energy costs.
- Water & Moisture Getting In: Uh oh, are you seeing water and moisture coming right into your home like an unwanted guest? This can lead to not just higher energy bills, but mold problems, critter problems, carpet stains, and more.
- You Don’t Feel Temp Changes: Have you been finding yourself messing with the thermostat but not sensing much of a difference? For example, here in Orange County, during the summer months, homeowners keep turning the knob but feeling less cool air than they expect (while their HVAC units go into overdrive compensating for leakage).
Pro Tip: Don’t Procrastinate On Weatherstripping
You should be inspecting your weatherstripping at least once a year, or as regularly as you inspect all the other important components of your home: roofing, doors & windows, appliances, insulation, and so on.
Don’t procrastinate because just a bit of maintenance can save you a ton of time and money down the road. For any other questions regarding entry doors, southern California homeowners are free to contact us at your convenience. We’re here to help. Thanks for your time today!