Weather Stripping Protects Homes and Keeps Them at Temperature

Weather stripping is a small but important part of the home for many reasons. It prevents wind, rain, and humidity from getting into your home, while also keeping out insects and vermin – all of which are detrimental to the longevity and sustainability of a structure. When given access to door and window jambs, moisture will cause damage eventually, and can even compromise the structural integrity of a home in some of the most serious cases.

This trim molding offers financial savings in the short-term as well. By forming a seal around what would otherwise be points of entry/exit for air, heating and cooling systems experience an improvement in efficiency and performance. Drafts in poorly sealed homes tax your systems, making them work harder than they should have to to maintain temperatures, battling hot air in the summer and bitter air in the winter. And when treated air can escape through the same areas, you’re losing out on energy on both sides of the coin.

Weather stripping is often a crosslinked foam product. This provides a compressible material between surfaces that will remain resilient enough to seal against the compressive surfaces. Soft, yet resilient material means the foam will push against the door and/or window and the respective jamb when they close. Weather stripping is also beneficial on a structural level. Foam rubber is a shock-absorbing material, so weather stripping pads the energy of slamming windows and doors. A single slam is unlikely to cause a problem, but over years, impacts can add up until cracks and damage appear. Cushioning foam barriers also quiet areas, as you now have a hard object closing against something soft. And while there aren’t any savings to a quieter home, the peace of mind it offers has a value of its own.