The space between the finished and rough frame of the window (hidden behind the window trim) is a major source of heat loss and hidden moisture damage inside walls. The trim should be sealed or removed and the gap filled and sealed if this was not done at the time of construction. Just stuffing...
Gary from Toronto has a 75 year old door with copper V strip weather-stripping that doesn't stop much wind any more. What to do?Wooden outside doors tend to warp a bit with changes in the weather and with any direct sunlight on them, so you will probably find that the south facing door will warp...
First, the fancy way: infrared photography can identify temperature changes on different parts of the house, and thus heat losses. With proper interpretation of the photograph you can know which heat losses are caused by air leaks and which by missing or soaked insulation. This is like an X-ra...
Bonnie from Briar Lake, B.C. has a metal door that goes into her garage and it is constantly freezing shut with a little accumulation of ice. What to do? The easiest solution is to put some form of plastic, slippery tape on at least one side of the door or the frame where it freezes. We found ...
Dan from Winnipeg, Manitoba writes: "What would be the best weather stripping to use for the wooden storm doors on my house? Front and Back."Wooden storm doors tend to warp a bit with changes in the weather and with any direct sunlight on them, so you will probably find that the south facing doo...
Lawrence in Toronto Ontario is wondering if his attic hatch might be letting moisture leak into the attic.Definitely! This hatch should be treated as an outside door and it needs to be weather-stripped and latched down tight. It is usually a very easy job by simply applying some of the adhesive...
Caulking on the outside of the house has very little to do with stopping cold air drafts from getting into the house. It's purpose is to weather proof the wall against rain penetration. It doesn't generally stop air flow since most siding is purposefully ventilated.Caulking inside the house ...
Air leaks through the moving parts of windows accounts for as much as 14 per cent of the heat loss in a typical Canadian house. Picking the right kind of windows can certainly help:-- Fixed windows with no moving parts can be completely sealed. -- Fixed window panes with small moveable section...
Doors are large openings in the wall which fall somewhere between windows and walls as far as the heat losses go. You can lose as much heat through a door leading to an unheated garage or basement as you can through the front door.It is now common to buy insulated metal or fiberglass doors th...
Doors warp with changes in climate, so good weather-stripping should be compressible to take into account small warp differences between day and night, and adjustable to take into account a larger warp movement that starts in the fall and returns in the spring.Doors, like windows, usually have ai...
