Windows and door seals
If you discovered a hole in your exterior wall about the width of a soda can, you’d fix it immediately right?
But have you checked for a gap under your front door lately? If not, you might be letting in the same equivalent of air from the outside into your home.
Since the average American family spends 45% of their power bill on heating and cooling, let’s make sure your home is as energy efficient as possible by checking out your windows and doors.
Grab a candle and a flashlight to complete this task.
Easy breezy
If it’s a windy day outside, hold a lit candle while moving it around the window seams. If the flame bends then you may have an air leak that could be worth investigating further. Alternatively, wait until it’s dark outside and send someone out to watch as you move a flashlight around the seals of your windows. If they are able to see the light through a crack, it’s time to remove and replace your window caulking. Repeat around all of the windows of your home.
Whether or not it’s a windy day, head outside to take a look at your window panes. Summer sun and heat can dry out the caulk on the outside of your home, leaving cracks and gaps between the window and siding. This can let in air from the outside and water, making your home less comfortable, increasing your energy costs, and putting your home at risk for mold or water damage.
If your seals are looking like they’ve seen better days, you can remove the caulk with a caulk softener and putty knife and then reapply a new layer of good quality caulk.
If you have single pane or leaky windows, it may be a good financial choice, in the long run, to consider replacing your windows with ones that improve your home’s energy efficiency.
Go towards the light
There are two quick and easy ways to check out the weatherstripping on your doors. The first is simply to take a close look to see if you notice light slipping in through any cracks. Alternatively, you can wait until it’s dark and send someone outside to look for light through the cracks as you move a flashlight around the door jamb.
If either of these options indicates that you have an air leak, repairs are typically inexpensive and an easy fix. If the caulk around the door jamb needs replacement, use a caulk softener and a putty knife to remove and replace using a good quality caulk. Replacement weatherstripping can be picked up at your local hardware store and installed with minimal tools.
While most doors can be easily weatherproofed and give you many more years of use if yours is weathered, warped, or cracked then it’s time to replace it.