How do I fix a drafty door?

If you have a drafty door, you are probably spending more than you should for heating and cooling your home. The ultimate correction may be a new door, but there are some steps you can take to make a door more secure.

Tutorial

A drafty door isn’t just an inconvenience. It’s also a money pit because your heating and air conditioning unit is continually making up for the air that’s flowing through that door. It can also be a security hazard because a drafty door may be so loose that a criminal could use that weakness to break in.

One of the easiest steps you can take to address a drafty door is to add weather stripping. This is generally a very cost-effective step as well requiring an investment of only a few dollars. Weather stripping for a door is easy to install and clear instructions are usually included on the package.

A sweeper bar is another good investment if you’re looking to stop air leaks around a drafty door. This is a rubber piece that fastens along the bottom of the door and keeps air from free flowing under the door. While this won’t usually stop all the air flow, it certainly helps slow the problem.

If your door has single paned windows, consider upgrading those to double panes. While windows in a door are often attractive and are often a selling point for a particular door, a single paned glass provides little resistance to air flow.

If the door itself isn’t the problem but air is flowing freely around the door, consider using a foam insulation to fill those crevices around the door.

At the end of your efforts, it may be that the door you have is simply not energy efficient and won’t ever be so. While giving up the cost of a new door may seem like a waste of money, you could save that in energy savings in a short period of time.