A Guide to Installing Weatherstripping to Prevent Storm Damage | SERVPRO® of Piscataway

If you own your home, you may have seen advice about installing weatherstripping to make it more resilient to the weather—which sounds great, but if you are not sure how weatherstripping works, it may seem a bit confusing.

Weatherstripping is a cost-effective way to further insulate your home, and it can often be installed in an afternoon. Not only can it protect your house from storm damage, but it is also an effective way to save on energy bills.

How Weatherstripping Can Prevent Storm Damage

When severe weather brings heavy rains along with it, there is only so much moisture most homes can withstand.

Many homes have microscopic gaps between their exterior walls and windows or doors, and with repeated soaking, these gaps can begin to let moisture into your home. Weatherstripping provides a way to seal these gaps, ensuring that water stays outside where it belongs.

Choose the Right Kind of Weatherstripping

There are three main types of weatherstripping to choose from: foam, vinyl and metal.

Foam weatherstripping is more susceptible to wear, tear and weather, so for the purposes of storm damage prevention, it may not be the best choice.

Vinyl weatherstripping is far more durable, but must be fitted to cover the openings properly—for example, repeated opening of a door with poorly fitted weatherstripping may lead to premature wear.

Metal is certainly the most durable of the three and will last the longest, but it is also the most expensive option in most cases.

Tips for the Installation of Weatherstripping

While every type of weatherstripping will have its own unique guidelines, there are some general things to keep in mind if you are attempting to install the weatherstripping yourself. When selecting how much weatherstripping to purchase, measure the perimeters of all the windows and doors you will be reinforcing, and add around 10% to account for material waste.

It is also wise to select a material thickness that presses tightly against doors and windows but is not too large to interfere with their functioning. It is wise to clean and dry the surfaces before you apply your weatherstripping, and only install it on a day that is above 20 degrees Fahrenheit. Be sure the strips meet snugly at each corner, as that is where the majority of errors occur.

Even when you take extensive precautions, storm damage can still occur. If you have storm or water damage, we’re here to help you.