Having an annoying opening between the interiors of your home and the outdoors can lead to weather elements finding their way into your house, which not only can be annoying but also has the potential to cause damage. This problem is especially true for winters. However, the good news is that there are easy ways to ensure the best seal on your entry way door, which will not require much effort. In this blog post, we will look at some tips for sealing your home’s entry door to keep out weather elements.
Tighten the Door Hinges
It’s common for air leaks to show up if the hinges of the door have been displaced from their original position. Before you start moving mountains for this, just try lifting the door by the doorknob. If you notice that the door is moving upward or downward, you just must tighten the hinge screws at the top within the door jamb and check whether it brings an end to the problem.
Install a Door Sweep
An efficient door sweep at the bottom of the entry way door is an effective yet easy means to seal out unwanted leaks. It creates an air-tight seal at the bottom of the main entrance. Generally, door sweeps contain rubber strips that are attached to the front part of the door. Sometimes, they also come in the shape of a brush-like strip running along the lower end of the door.
If you see that the door sweep is broken or bent, chances are that they are letting in cold air and draft. When you install the door sweep properly, it can keep cold air from getting through underneath the door. The greatest benefit of having a door sweep is that you can attach it without having to trim the door. If required, you may also get sweeps on rollers that can rule out the unevenness of the floor.
Get a Door Snake
Door snakes are an extremely effective means of blocking out leaks in the doors and even windows. These are weighted fabric tubes that proffer additional insulation for blocking out unwanted cold air that can bring down the temperature drastically. You can either opt for readymade door snakes or customize them according to the size of the door.
Seal the Gaps Underneath
If you allow gaps in your exterior door to remain unaddressed, it will not only let moisture and cold air to come inside your home, but in worst cases, it will also allow unwanted pests to make their way into your home. So, your first task is to find out which doors of your house need to be sealed. You will also need to check how large these gaps are. If your house has a double front entry door, you should be mindful of the gaps between the doors.
Next, you will have to reset and shim the hinges of your entry door to even out the gaps underneath. This will proffer the added advantage of making the entrance easy to weatherstrip. You may also adjust the latches and strike plates to ensure that the main door fits snugly in the frames of the doors.
If the doors are warped or have an irregular structure, you can also seal the gaps using foam tapes. As an extra precautionary measure, you will have to secure the tape in the places where the leaks are most prominent.
Final Thoughts
Sealing the main entrance of your home will take an extra bit of your effort, but it’s worth it. It helps ensure temperature control, allows energy savings, keeps away pests, and improves indoor air quality to a great extent. So, waste no time and check for the leaks and gaps in your front door before winter hits in.
