For homes that have drafty doors, there are various ways to stop the outdoor air flow from coming inside. Rather expensive options are replacing the entire door or the metal threshold on the bottom. But if you are watching your cash flow these days, a less costly alternative is a draft stopper, also known as a door snake. They have been used for decades to block door drafts and have shown to be effective in stopping outdoor air from entering the home.
To block door drafts, you first have to identify the source. Remember to check all your doors, including the front and back entry doors, sliding patio doors, closet doors, basement doors, attic doors and doors leading to the garage. By running your hand under a closed door, you can feel if air is coming in from outside.
When you block door drafts, the end result is a lower energy bill. That’s because the heating and air conditioning systems in your home are no longer working more to compensate for the drafts coming in. Drafts change a room’s temperature, causing heating and cooling systems to work continuously to maintain the set temperature. The more it works, the more you will be paying. But you can save between 10% and 25% on your energy bill when door drafts are blocked.
A draft is a flow of air that can be found in the space at the bottom of doors. A draft is a result of a door that is not tightly sealed due to settlement over the years or improper installation. A draft is typically found where the door meets the metal threshold, which also conducts cold air. You can quickly and cheaply block door drafts by adding insulated protection at the bottom of the door.
The primary objective in any home should be to block door drafts in order to stop the outdoor air from coming inside. This goal is even more important during cold weather since freezing air seeping in under the door makes the home colder, causing you to set the thermostat higher. That means you will be using more heat, thus increasing your costs. The same holds true in warm months when hot air comes in from under the door. The temperature inside begins heating up, causing you to increase the speed of your cooling system. That results in higher operating costs. The goal is to have an energy efficient home where a desired temperature is set and maintained. If there are drafts coming in from doors, energy efficiency cannot be realized.
There is one effective and affordable method to block door drafts. Using a draft stopper works because it fits tightly under the open spaces below a door. They are easy to use and can be removed as needed and cleaned. Because they are so inexpensive, draft stoppers can be placed under all the doors in your home where a draft occurs.
Draft stoppers are not all made the same. In order to properly block door drafts, they need to be made of insulating material. The exterior should be constructed of a strong polypropylene material, while the filling of the interior should be proven insulation fill, like finely ground corn cob or oil-dry material. Equally important, they need to be flexible to fit securely under the door.
When it comes to saving on your energy bill, it makes sense to insulate your home against outdoor elements. The doors in your home are one area to look at because you may need to block door drafts to begin creating an energy efficient home. Besides replacing doors, there are other methods to consider. A draft stopper is an inexpensive solution that is easy to use and has shown to reduce energy costs by stopping drafts.
