Winterization doesn’t mean just tinkering around your home, looking for cracked siding or missing nails that need replacing. Aside from checking every nook and cranny you should also look for drafts around your doors.
Ever feel a cold breeze on your feet when you’re standing close to the door? Cold drafts are a good indicator that there are air leaks in your home. Majority of air leaks occur around doors, especially those that are lead outdoors, like patio doors in Atlanta GA and surrounding areas.
This winter, make it your goal to keep your patio doors draft-free by following these tips:
- Do a visual inspection of your door. Take note of big gaps, cracks, or slits around the frame as these are obvious sources of air leaks.
- Smoke ’em out. Some leaks are a bit more difficult to identify than others. If you can’t tell just by looking if your patio door lets drafts in, take a lighted candle, incense stick, or smoke pen, and hold it near the frame. Keep an eye out for smoke movement: if it moves horizontally, it means outdoor air can slip through that door.
- Seal the deal. Once you’ve identified the leaks, it’s time to seal them. You may use caulking or weatherstripping to make sure all possible entry points for drafts are properly sealed. If the doors have been caulked or weatherstripped before, make sure the seals are still intact. Re-apply where necessary.
- Repair or replace faulty doors. Sometimes even the most flawless caulking work can’t salvage a worn-out or improperly installed patio door. Call in experts in home improvement in Atlanta and surrounding areas if your doors don’t look like they’re going to last the winter. Get advice on whether it would be a better solution to repair or fully replace a faulty door.
We at Renewal by Andersen® of Atlanta have been helping our neighbors winterize their homes for years. We install high quality replacement sliding patio and French doors that, together with our professional installation techniques, help prevent costly air leaks in your home. Give us a call today to receive a free estimate of our services, or schedule an in-home consultation on how to better winterize your home with draft-free doors.
