Dealing with an Under Door Draft
A pesky under door draft can take away from the warmth of a cozy room, but dealing with it can be easy. Fixing a draft can reduce your energy bill, help you be greener and remove that unpleasant cold spot in your room. Under door drafts can come from the settlement of the foundation in old houses or improper door installation. Doors are designed to fit snugly in the frame. When the door does not fit correctly or the frame shifts, air often flows in under the door. Depending on the door and size of the gap, you can either buy or build your easy fix to deal with that annoying breeze. Both can be accomplish by a beginner, and shouldn't take more than half an hour.
Home Made Fixes
If you've got the DIY spirit, all you will need is some cloth, a needle and thread (or sewing machine) and some fill. You can easily make a long tube to push up against the bottom of the door to block the draft. First, measure the length of the door. Then, cut a piece that long and 8 inches wide from your cloth. Next, fold the cloth in half. Sew one end and the side shut to form a long sock-like tube. Then fill it up! You can use black eyed peas (dried), finely ground corn cob, saw dust, or heavy tailors stuffing. Last, sew up the open end, and place it against the door.
This is a great quick fix for large and small gaps, and can be used on any door. You can choose all kinds of fabric to add some character to a room. For an exterior door, just make sure you place it on the inside so it doesn't get weather worn.
Store-Bought Fixes
Stores sell all kinds of fixes for draft doors. There are several types that you can choose from to help seal up a room from under door drafts.
For exterior doors, if the gap is not too wide or large, you can buy simple weather stripping that will cause a tight seal against the bottom of the door frame and the door. You will need simple weather stripping and something to attach it with, either liquid nails caulk or small nails. After you get the stripping, measure the length of the door frame. Then cut the stripping and check to make sure it fits snuggly, corner to corner, on the door frame bottom. Then attach it to the bottom of the door frame. This may cause the door to need a small extra “push” to close, but that helps seal up the frame. Some stores sell weather stripping sets for doors that come with pre-stamped holes for nails.
For interior doors, many stores will sell draft tube kits that can easily be installed in minutes without any tools. These designs will have two tubes and a section of cloth in between. All you need to do is open the door and slide the section of cloth underneath the door, with the two tubes on either side. This will open and close with the door and provide a draft seal on both sides. This is the easiest and quickest way to fix a under door draft.
