Sealing a drafty door can be an easy project. When you are working on an older house your door is very likely to be misaligned because of the natural settling over time. It seems to be an all to speedy reaction to buy the quickest fix for this problem, foam weatherstripping. Foam weatherstripping comes in many different sizes and types. I have not found one that does well on a high traffic door, not to mention how it looks installed on a door. There is a slightly better model of weatherstripping that seals in the same manner as the foam, and that is the rubber weather seal (EPDM). It looks like a tear drop and has a sticky side to stick on the stop on one side. I use this weatherstripping occasionally. The door must hit the stop squarely and hit the left ,right ,and top equally for this strip to work correctly. If your door is drafty and qualifies then buy this seal. It generally comes with a good warranty and will last with moderate traffic. To install this weatherstripping clean the door stop (this is the trim that stops the door from swinging the other way when you are closing the door) with a wet rag, and allow to dry. Measure the stop on the top, left, and right where the door hits the stop. Cut a piece that runs from left jamb to right jamb. Place on the stop to insure the cut is correct, then peel the backing off a little at a time while sticking on the side of the stop the door makes contact with. Repeat this step for the left and right side of the door. Make the pieces for the right and left side go down as far as possible without doubling up the weatherstripping.
The second and most easy weatherstripping for a door is made for the ‘kerfed stop’ door. This a newer item item you can find at most home improvement stores and on the internet. You must have kerfed stop to install this weatherstrip. A kerf is a small cut in the wood stop between the stop and the jamb on the door side of the stop. This weather stripping just pops in and out of the kerf and is very easily fixed. If you have a torn piece and your door is leaking, just pull it out and pop a new piece in. If you have a metal door with kerfed stop, you can buy a magnetic weatherstripping that sticks to the door when closed (like a refrigerator). This is extremely easy to install so I will be quick. Just measure the top, cut and install (snap in one side and work it in the kerf in the other direction). Do the same for the right and left side of the door making sure the weatherstripping covers the complete kerf. **note** If you have trash in the kerf, you must remove it before snapping in the weatherstripping…It will not snap in with anything in the gap.
The third kind of weather stripping is the type I use the most on older, high traffic doors. This is the adjustable aluminum/rubber seal. This seal is installed on top of the stop from the exterior of the house with the door closed. This door seal is not in an unseen area, so you can visually see the seal is operational. It is also very durable in comparison with the other seals. Also being adjustable will seal a door that does not hit the stop in all locations (an old warped door). To install this weatherstripping you will need your door closed and dead bolted (if applicable). Measure the outside of the door where it comes in contact with the stop. Cut the short piece to the size of the top of the exposed door with a hacksaw. Place the piece on top of the stop with the rubber side touching the door to insure a good seal. With a pencil, mark one of the center holes in the trim. Drill a 1/16″ hole in the in the stop about 1″ deep. Place the seal back in place and put a screw in the hole making sure the rubber seal is still in contact with the door. Pre-drill the rest of the holes and install a screw into each one. Repeat the steps with the left and right side pieces making sure to cover the complete space between the door and the stop.

I will save to bottom of the door for tomorrow…

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