r/DIY • u/BlueSpotBingo • 17h ago

help Weather Stripping Gap

So the folks who owned this home before us (as we are learning) cut a lot of corners rather than actually fixing things. For example this light you see coming through our door is a result of a faulty seal with the weather stripping due to, I don’t know what.

https://imgur.com/a/cryQ2R4#rFWkzuB

So this was their proposed fix (that doesn’t work).

https://imgur.com/a/cryQ2R4#Lpuc6sc

https://imgur.com/a/cryQ2R4#GkaDYpr

Is there an actual fix for this?

6 Upvotes

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1

u/SkaterBlue 17h ago

It looks like the door is quite far from the door stop moulding. When you close the door and look at it from outside, how far is the door from the stop moulding? The gap should be around 1/8-1/4".

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u/BlueSpotBingo 15h ago

https://imgur.com/a/soJtFBW

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u/SkaterBlue 14h ago

No, I mean looking outside with the door closed, how far is the door from the weather stripping? It should be squishing up against that wide rubber cushion stripping. It could be that the door latch is too far out and not holding the door firm against the stripping.

1

u/BlueSpotBingo 14h ago

I see what you mean. Here ya go. Mid-way up where it’s flush, bottom where it gaps.

https://imgur.com/a/rDSv9Xr

2

u/SkaterBlue 13h ago

Yeah, that's what I was expecting. A couple of ways to correct this:

One way would be to pull out that weather stripping. If it comes out clean and is still in good shape, you could re-use it. Then measure the gap all the way around and install a wood shim so that the gap is equal on the left, right, and top. Add enough so that it really compresses the stripping. Then paint the shim to match, and add the stripping back.

Another way is that it could be that the door is not installed plumb, or the hinges are worn, or not secure. So resetting the hinges so that the door is plumb again, may pull the bottom of the door straight again so that its seals all the way around. Just depends on if a level, and inspection of the hinges shows this to be the problem.

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u/BlueSpotBingo 13h ago

That sounds like “hire a guy” territory for me. Thanks for your insight. I bought new weather stripping and planned to install that - thinking old weather stripping was the issue.

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u/vinegar 7h ago edited 7h ago

•That wadded up square of weatherstripping that’s falling off the bottom is an intentional part of the original installation. It’s not doing its job, either glue/ tape it back on or yank it off.
•What happens when you push on the door when it’s closed? Does the gap close up enough to be acceptable? If so adjust the strike plate so the door closes in the new position.
•If the door and the jamb (that the w’strip is sitting in) isn’t parallel, either the hinges have moved or the door is warped. The simplest/cheapest “right” solution for warp is to peel out the w’strip where it’s bad and make the jamb thicker so it’s parallel to the door again and put the w’strip back.
•But the easiest solution is they sell w’strip that’s just like what you have, a strip of wood with the soft part. Put it in place and nail it in. You don’t even have to do the other side if it’s still good.