Tips for Builders: Draft-Proof Windows and Doors

Draft test your home
Cracks and gaps occur in many places around the house. It’s a good idea to get rid of them as they will really add to your heating costs and in the summer they let in hot air and dust. And it’s not just strong winter winds forcing air through the gaps in your home that will cause drafts. Hot air rising and escaping from a heated room will draw cool air into the room through openings around doors and windows and even through gaps between joints and floorboards.

Fix it
Sometimes gaps are obvious, but if you suspect a gap but can’t see it, light a candle or incense stick and place it next to the gap movement you suspect is in the smoke to test for an air leak. .

Most cracks and voids, including around baseboards, architraves, and cornices, can be filled with a caulking compound, such as acrylic void filler. It is best applied with a caulking gun, but caulking compound is also sold in applicator tubes.

There is a wide range of products available at the hardware store; you should find one that matches the color of your paint or wood work, to apply the caulking compound:
1 – Hold the applicator at 45 degrees and push it away from you while passing a drop along the gap. This will help force the filler deeper into the space.
2 – As you finish each section, clean the tie by removing the excess; the best tool for this your finger

doors
With doors, there are two areas to address: the tie-down space at the bottom of the door, and the spaces on the sides between the door and the frame.

To fix gaps in the sides of a door:
1 – Get self-adhesive weather stripping, available at most hardware stores. They are made of rubber, foam, or even plastic; choose the one that best suits the size and shape of your door.
2 – Make sure that the surface you are going to stick it to is clean and dry before you start, so that the adhesive works better.
3 – Unroll the weather stripping and leave it in the sun for about five minutes to soften before starting, as this will make it easier to work with.
4 – Seal the gap around the perimeter of the door with the strips by pushing them into the recess you are sealing and trimming any excess in the corners. In some cases, a small wood slat frame with a rubber seal insert can be installed around the inside of the door.

At the bottom of the door you can use a weather stripping; there are many styles to suit different types of door and frame constructions. Most of them are easy to install and usually come in a kit that will include all the necessary hardware and instructions. Take careful note of how your gate works and all measurements before heading to the hardware store.