How to Fix a Draft From a Door

Installing Weather Stripping

• 1

  Measure the top jamb of the doorway. This is the space that runs across the top of the door frame.

• 2

  Cut the weather stripping to fit the top jamb. Use a hacksaw to saw through any wood part of the weather stripping, and scissors for the rubber or foam part.

• 3

  Hold the weather stripping against the top jamb, with the wood part facing out and the foam or rubber part up against the surface of the door. Drive nails partway through the weather stripping and into the jamb to keep it in place.

• 4

  Measure the side jambs, and cut two pieces of weather stripping to fit. Cut the top edge of the weather stripping to fit the shape of the weather stripping across the top jamb with a coping saw.

• 5

  Dry-fit the weather stripping along the side jambs, and sand down the edges to fit if needed.

• 6

  Drive nails partway through the weather stripping on the side jambs to hold it in place.

• 7

  Test the seal of the weather stripping by opening and closing the door to check the fit. Adjust the weather stripping if needed.

• 8

  Drive the nails all the way in once the weather stripping is in the correct position.

Installing Door Sweeps

• 9

  Measure the length of the door on the bottom edge.

• 10

  Cut the metal flange of the door sweep to fit the door with a hacksaw equipped with a metal-cutting blade, and cut the flexible material with scissors or a utility knife.

• 11

  Hold the sweep against the bottom edge of the door inside the house, positioning it so that the flexible part of the sweep touches the top of the threshold. Mark the screw holes on the sweep onto the door.

• 12

  Drill pilot holes into the door at the location of the screw holes.

• 13

  Screw the sweep to the door.

• 14

  Nail a 2-inch square piece of 1/8-inch felt against the bottom edges of the door frame next to the weatherstripping.