DIY guideDoor

Renew the weatherstripping and door sweeps

Find where air and light get past an outside door, swap the worn strip and sweep for new ones, and check the seal with a slip of paper.

8 steps

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On a bright day, close the door and look for daylight round its edges. Hold a hand near the gaps: a cold draft shows where the seal has failed.
Shut the door on a slip of paper at a few spots round the frame. If it slides out easily, the strip there isn't sealing.
Most door strips sit in a slot in the frame: grab one end and pull it out along its length. Stick-on foam peels off.
Scrape off old glue and wipe the frame with a damp cloth. Let it dry before the new strip goes on.
Take the old piece to the store to match it. Press the new strip into the slot from the top down, or stick foam on the clean, dry frame. Trim the end.
Open the door. Slide the old sweep off the bottom edge, or unscrew it, and fit the new one so it just touches the threshold.
Close the door: it should latch without a shove. Try the paper test again: now the paper should drag.
The door is warped, the frame is split or soft, or it won't latch with the new strip: ask Handyman for a door pro rather than forcing it.

Handyman says: Still drafty? I'll find a door pro.

Free for every home. Handyman asks a few questions, then books a pro it trusts.