Maine Home Energy
Weather-Stripping Windows and Doors
Bulletin
#7215
Prepared by Associate
Extension Professor Donna Coffin
Reviewed by Associate Extension Professor Kathy Hopkins
This bulletin can
help you determine whether any windows and doors in your home need
weather stripping, as well as how to choose appropriate
weather-stripping products.
Air leakage, or
infiltration, is outside air that enters your home, or warm air that
leaves your home, through cracks and openings in the walls, ceilings,
and floor. Because air infiltration can account for as much as 30
percent of a home's heating costs, you can stop losing money by sealing
these air leaks.
While most air
leakage occurs through holes and cracks in ceilings and floors, a
significant amount of air leaks through cracks around windows and doors.
This is especially true in homes with older windows and doors.
Weather stripping is
needed in the following situations:
-
An operable
window moves and rattles when it is in a closed position.
-
A length of
thread or bathroom tissue held near a window or door indicates air
movement through a crack.
-
Indoor light
can be seen through a crack from outside the house.
-
A piece of
paper slides easily through a closed opening.
Weather stripping is
used between movable parts in operable openings, such as windows and
doors, to stop air leaks. For example, it can be placed along the edges
of window sashes and doorjambs. Weather stripping consists of narrow
strips of metal, plastic, or foam, held in place with nails, staples, or
adhesives. Which type you choose depends on where it will be installed
as well as on your preferences in terms of cost, ease of installation,
durability, service life, and other factors.
Characteristics of
the types of weather stripping commonly available at home centers and
department stores are listed in the following chart. Most packages
include installation instructions.
Type of weather stripping
|
Service life
|
Characteristics
|
|
 |
Self-adhesive foam |
1–2
years |
Easy to install
Limited durability |
|
 |
Felt |
2 years |
Inexpensive
Easy to apply
Limited durability |
|
 |
Rolled vinyl or tubular
gasket |
5 years +
|
Visible when
applied
Must make contact for proper seal |
|
 |
Tension-spring plastic
or metal V-shaped strips |
Plastic: 5 years
Metal: 5–8 years
|
Both metal and
plastic types are easy to apply.
Good for uniform openings.
Flexible along its length for larger openings |
|
 |
Door sweep (metal spine,
vinyl edge) |
5 years
+
|
Easy to apply
Vinyl is flexible over adjacent flooring materials |
|
 |
Metal door threshold
with vinyl bulb |
5 years
+
|
Flexible vinyl
adjusts to fit door opening |
|
 |
Nylon brush fin seal |
5 years + |
Used to replace
worn weather stripping on aluminum windows and doors, and
triple-track storm windows |
Adapted with permission
from Trudy Wythe and Joe Laquatra, “Weather Stripping Windows and
Doors,” Housing Fact Sheets, revised by Mark Pierce (Ithaca:
Cornell University, 1986, 2000).
© 2008 |
Last
Modified:
09/24/09
|