What You Need to Know About Window & Door Insulation

Weather changes reveal the weaknesses in many things around our homes—one drawback, particularly, is issues with improperly sealed windows and doors.

Knowing how to identify and correct problems can keep you and your family comfortable as cold weather arrives and significantly reduce pricy utility bills.

Depending on the age of the windows and doors in your home, various types of stripping can help keep the cold out. The severity of your home’s air infiltration will determine your options to correct the issues.

Air infiltration refers to the amount of air that passes through a window or door assembly and various insulation points and seams.

Choosing the correct weather stripping for the application is essential and ensures the best results for your time and investment.

One of the most common weather stripping for windows and doors is rolled and pressure sensitive. It is applied to window sashes and contact points on doors. As the window or door connects to the applied stripping, it compresses and eliminates the point of draft entry. The stripping has a removable paper backing that covers the adhesive. Cutting the stripping to the proper length and then removing the paper backing as you apply it to the clean window or door draft points is all there is. This stripping typically lasts 3 to 5 years and is very economical.

Felt weather stripping is also a popular remedy for drafts and has been used for decades. Some more recent offerings offer adhesive backing, but this type is traditionally tacked or stapled in the same locations mentioned above.

For a longer-lasting and durable solution, EPDM weather seal tape is a self-sticking solution that has an excellent bounce back over time and does an excellent job of keeping drafts at bay.

To seal the gaps in the sides of windows, you may find Vinyl V strips very effective. An adhesive side attaches to the window frame, and the window slides down the opposing side of the V strip to seal the gap; or closes on top of the V to do the same at the bottom sash.

A solution for the very common drafts that occur at the bottom of doors is to install a door sweep (also called a seal). It’s best to use a quality door sweep. There are several options. Some screw into the lower interior edge and of the door and adjust to provide an even sweep that closes any gaps when closed. Others screw directly into the bottom of the door (which requires the door to be removed). Visit Cardinal Home Center to explore all the door sweep options, as there may be one type ideal for your scenario.

Sadly many doors and windows are old, damaged, or not very good quality, to begin with, and are past the point of repair and need to be replaced. Many people believe that replacing windows or doors is cost prohibitive; however, when a window or door has failed, the money saved on utility bills may strongly outweigh the cost of the replacements over time. Cardinal Home Center offers a great variety of window and door replacement options, and our team of experts is prepared to find the right choices for you.