Feeling a chill in rooms adjacent to your patio or deck? It could be coming from your patio doors. You don’t have to live with these drafts and the energy they waste. With a little maintenance and care, and maybe even some minor repairs, you can make your patio doors beautiful and energy efficient again.
#1. Replace Caulk If It’s Needed
The caulk around your patio door helps keep out drafts and cold air in winter, warm air in summer and moisture all year round. Even the best caulk has a limited lifespan, and after a while, it starts to deteriorate. When caulking gets too old, it begins to crack and peel off. That’s when it’s time to replace it with new caulk.
To replace the caulk around your patio doors, start by scraping out the old caulking with a removal tool. Be sure not to damage the door or siding while you’re removing the old caulk. Next, replace it with fresh exterior-grade silicone caulk. Be sure to get the right kind of caulk. Some is paintable, while others are not. Determine whether you need or want to paint the caulk after it cures or if you can get a color-matched caulk at the home improvement store before you purchase. After you’re finished, give the caulk enough time to cure before exposing it to precipitation.
#2. Block Door Drafts with Heavy Curtains
If you’re still noticing cold air near your door after you caulk, it could be the weatherstripping (see below) or just the temperature coming through the glass, put up a heavy curtain around your patio doors. Draw the curtain when temperatures outside are very hot or very cold, and at night when you don’t need to see outside anyway.
#3. Weatherstrip Your Patio Doors
Weatherstripping is something you should do every year – or at least, you should be checking your weatherstripping every year. Weatherstripping is prone to wear and eventually wears out and doesn’t do it’s job as well as it did when new. Replacement weatherstripping for most doors is available for sale in home improvement centers and hardware stores.
When shopping for weatherstripping ensure that it is thick enough to fill the gaps between your patio doors and the door frames, but not so thick that the door becomes difficult to close.
If your doors are already weatherstripped, check in on it to see how it’s doing. If the weatherstripping is cracked, peeling away, missing or permanently squashed down, it’s time to replace.
#4. Lay Down a Draft Stopper at the Bottom of Your Doors
A draft stopper is a tube made of cloth to help stop any drafts coming in from beneath your door. Buy a draft stopper that you like and keep it pressed against the gap at the bottom of your patio door. Draft stoppers are especially useful for doors with hinges, although your sliding patio door may also benefit from a draft stopper.
#5. Replace Your Doors If Necessary
If after taking all these steps, you’re still noticing hot spots, cold spots, drafts or temperature fluctuations near your patio doors, then it may be time to replace. Replacing old, inefficient patio doors can make temperature control in your home easier, reduce your energy bills and improve your quality of life.
Renewal by Andersen of Long Island sells top-quality patio doors that are energy efficient and attractive, including French style patio doors and contemporary sliding patio doors. To learn more about installing one of our patio doors in your home, call today to set up an appointment for a free consultation at 866-609-5033 or use our contact form.
