I’d like to talk to you today about stripping.
Weather-stripping that is!
Okay, not as sexy a subject as you may have thought. Weatherstripping can still be exciting though! Well. Maybe. Okay, it cannot. Still, boring as it may be, weatherstripping is something you should pay attention to this time of year.
I’m talking about anything that seals around your doors and windows to keep the weather on the outside of your home. In the past this has primarily been foam or felt. Now this includes foam, felt, vinyl, rubber, magnetic, polyethylene, EPDM… who knew there were so many types? So, Brad, what type should I get? That’s like asking what’s for lunch? There are many choices, none wrong, some better than others.
The key is to match the weatherstripping to the gap you’re trying to fill. Is it a window that is seldom opened, a door that gets opened all the time, a crack around a vent or duct? Each one of these will take a different material. Here’s where your smart phone comes in. Take a picture and bring it in to your local Ace Hardware store. You can then show the picture to the helpful folks and they can match up what will work best for you. If you’re trying to replace some worn-out weatherstripping from a window frame, door or threshold, see if you can bring in a piece of what’s there now. This will really help get the right size and right product for you.
Spray foam insulation goes right along with getting prepared this time of year. You may have small or large gaps in your foundation, exterior walls, brickwork or eaves that need to be filled. There are right types to use and wrong types to use, so be certain to ask our helpful folks what will work best for you.
Need to caulk as well? Likely so, as caulk will wear out over time and can peel off. You can get damage from water getting in, not to mention losing heat this winter if you don’t repair places that need caulk. Again, there are many choices and again, our helpful folks will get you what you need.
Weather needs to stay outside your home. Both to keep you warm and dry this winter and to save you from wasting money trying to heat the outdoors. This is the time of year to get prepared for winter. You’ll thank yourself later when it’s cold and blustery outside.
Check out your local Ace Hardware and tell them Brad Nale said, this is the place where I can strip. No, uh, wait… tell them this is the place where I can get weatherstrip!