Weatherstripping And Caulking

It's called a draft gauge and all you need is a metal clothes hanger, a plastic sandwich bag (or a piece of light tissue paper), a pair of scissors and two clothes pins.

Cut the sandwich bag down each side "and wrap one end over the cross-bar of the clothes hanger. Use the clothes pins to fasten the bag to the bar.

To check for drafts around a window, hold the gauge steady by the handle of the hanger with the plastic bag close to the edge of the frame. If any breeze is coming in, the movement of the plastic will show you where to caulk the window frame. Use the gauge on all suspected areas. You'll be surprised to discover how many spots need caulking or weatherstripping.

Doors

The outside doors of the house should fit snugly so that air can't sneak in around the edges. If they don't fit snugly, put weatherstripping around the door frames.

How to weatherstrip a door. Close and lock the door so the door and casing are tight together. If you're using a rigid stripping, measure and cut the 3 or 4 pieces you need, mitering them to fit well at the top corners. If your weatherstripping is flexible, you may want to cut it in pieces for convenience or use one continuous piece for the sides and top.

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