Winterize Your Doors
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If you’re looking for something more permanent than a rolled up towel squashed up against your door to block a draft, you can select from a variety of door sweeps that will help block air from traveling beneath your door. If you can’t use a standard sweep option because carpeting gets in the way, choose an automatic model that raises when the door opens. Be sure to seal up the sides of the door with weather stripping as needed.
Patio doors can be trickier because they tend to behave more like windows. Luckily, a number of manufacturers make insulation kits specifically for patio doors. Foam weather stripping is an option to fill in noticeable cracks where you feel a draft. Insulated drapes are also a good option for winter-proofing your patio doors.
Garage doors need to be fortified against the cold, too. You can add fiberglass batts to insulate your garage doors affordably, or spend a bit more for foam panels, which will insulate twice as well. Homeowners lose a great deal of heat from the edges where the garage door meets the walls and the driveway. Weather stripping kits designed for garage doors will allow you to seal these gaps to eliminate drafts. Seals that adhere to the sides of the door are available in neoprene, which seals best but can crack in extreme cold, or nylon brush.
If you want more ideas of ways to insulate your doors for winter, or if you are thinking of replacing your doors and looking for the best models to deter the cold, schedule an assessment with an experienced contractor.
