How do you stop drafts around doors?

Most door drafts come from worn weatherstripping around the frame or a gap at the bottom of the door. Replacing the weatherstripping and adding or adjusting a door sweep stops most of them.

Find the leak first. On a cold or windy day, hold your hand near the edges of the closed door and feel for moving air. Look for daylight around the frame. You can also close the door on a strip of paper. If it slides out with no drag, the seal at that spot is weak.

Then fix each spot. On the sides and top, replace weatherstripping that is flat, torn or missing. Many exterior doors use a foam or rubber strip that presses into a slot in the frame. At the bottom, add a door sweep or replace the threshold seal. Many thresholds can be raised or lowered with screws. On the latch side, moving the strike plate can help the door pull tighter against the seal. Gaps between the trim and the wall can be sealed with caulk.

Set seals snug, not tight. A door that is hard to close wears out the seals fast and may not latch. Sealing air leaks often makes rooms feel more comfortable, and it can help with heating and cooling costs. If your doors are letting air in, here is how our weatherstripping service works.