When well prepared to face cold, a house becomes a confortable and economical refuge during winter.  By preventing cold air from penetrating and by eliminating the heat losses, you can reduce your heating bill and improve your comfort.

On a typical energy bill, we can attribute a loss of up to 700$ to a house whose envelop is not airtight.  Therefore it is important to think "airtight" if you wish to reduce the heating costs.
A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words
Heating Costs
Leaks & air infiltrations
The Good Solution

 

The Good Solution

Weatherstripping makes a seal at the meeting point of two surfaces, one of which is mobile, as in doors and windows. Weatherstripping products can be nailed, screwed or glued. Look for pliable models that regain their shape quickly and easily. Here are seven popular weatherstripping items:

Tubular vinyl : For wooden or metal doors and windows. Vinyl models make very tight seals.

V-Shaped Tape : Vinyl tape, perfect for vertical or horizontal slider windows, wood or metal

Adhesive rubber foam : Wooden or metal windows & doors. New EPDM rubber foams provide tighter seals.   

Wood and rubber door set : Perfect for wooden or metal doors. Self-adhesive and very easy to install.

Magnetic or spring-adjustable door sets : Magnetic: for steel doors. Spring-adjustable: for wooden or steel doors.

Door sweep : Metal or vinyl. Slide it under the door and screw it in place.

Threshold : For wooden or metal doors. Perfect for heavy traffic areas.

In order to be effective, the insulating material should:
•  Fill the gap evenly;
•  Resist heat transfer;
•  Be long lasting;
•  Resist humidity (in some cases)

It is better to weatherstrip your house when temperatures are not to low, in the spring or in the fall, to make sure that the flexibility and adhesives of the weatherstripping products are at their best. For even better results, the joint to be sealed should be very clean. Remove any traces of paint, dust or old weatherstripping with a caulking knife or screwdriver.