Flower Mound Weather Stripping: What It Is and Why You Need It

Sometimes, being a homeowner can feel like being in a constant state of battle to keep the outside from coming in. Between keeping your home heated during winter and nice and cool during summer, squashing creepy crawlies that somehow find their way in, and wiping up water that pools around windows and doors to prevent water damage are just some of the ways that this battle is waged. Wouldn't it be nice if you didn't have to work as hard at this, and you didn't have to spend as much money to make it happen? The solution is simpler than you might think—installing Flower Mound weather stripping with the help of a Flower Mound handyman.

If you haven’t thought about your weather stripping in a while, there’s a good chance that it’s in need of replacement. After replacing your weather stripping, you may find that your energy bills are lower, you don’t have to worry as much about water damage, and your home continues to look great with very little maintenance on your part.

In this article, we'll teach you everything you need to know about weather stripping for your Tarrant or Denton County home. Whether you've never heard the term weather stripping before today or have some knowledge but aren't sure what types of products are available on the current market, you'll come away better equipped to make a decision on the right weather stripping in Flower Mound, TX.

What Is Flower Mound Weather Stripping?

Installing weather stripping is the reigning tried and true method of preventing drafts around windows and doors in a home, including garage doors. Weatherstripping in Flower Mound, TX, or anywhere else doesn't refer to a single product but rather is a category of products that perform a sealing function. For this reason, caulk is sometimes described as weather stripping as well.

Why Is Weather Stripping in Flower Mound, TX Important?

Even tiny gaps around window frames and doors can cause your HVAC system to work harder than it needs to. In fact, it's estimated that these gaps can be responsible for up to 38% of thermal heat loss. The harder this system works, the more energy that is required, and the higher your monthly utility bill will be. Adding weather stripping to the drafty areas of your home isn't just better for the environment but great for your wallet too. A garage door seal is part of this equation. Though you may not worry about the temperature of your garage, the better insulated it is, the better insulated your home will be.

Flower Mound weather stripping is also useful for keeping a wide range of Texas insects out of your home. If there's a crack or crevice somewhere in your home, you can guarantee those shelter-seeking bugs will find it. It's a good idea to not just seal off doors and windows to prevent them from entering but also seal areas around fixtures within the home, such as bathtubs, toilets, sinks, and baseboards. For these interior fixtures, all you need is a bit of caulk.

When Do I Need To Replace Weather Stripping?

There are two main ways to determine whether it’s time to replace the weather stripping around your home. The first way involves looking for signs of sealing issues around your home. Some common signs of damaged weather stripping include:

• Pest activity. In addition to the presence of more bugs inside the home than you’d care for, pest activity can also include evidence of rodent activity. This is especially pertinent in garages. If you notice any droppings on the garage floor, this is an indication that you need to replace or install robust garage door weather stripping. It’s also a good idea to call a pest control company, as these professionals will be able to inspect your home for any other gaps that are allowing rodents to get in.
• Water damage. In the spring and summer, Flower Mound tends to get a considerable amount of precipitation. If you notice water stains near your windows or on your ceiling or frames in need of wood rot repair, there's a good chance that weather stripping and caulking are missing around areas such as your windows, doors, chimneys, and siding.

Water damage is much more costly to repair than it is to simply install weather stripping in Flower Mound, TX, so do yourself a favor and take advantage of the second main way to look for signs of sealing issues around the home—by inspecting your weather stripping twice per year.

When inspecting your Flower Mound weather stripping, look for obvious signs of damage, such as missing chunks or peeling sections. To check for signs of less obvious damage, wait for the sun to go down and hold up a flashlight on one side of the closed window or door. If you see the light shining through the space between the unit and the frame, there's a gap present that needs to be addressed.

Types of Flower Mound Weather Stripping

Determining which type of weather stripping to apply and where is something many homeowners struggle with. There is a myriad of different Flower Mound weather stripping materials and designs, all with different benefits and drawbacks. It's not enough to pick one randomly, slap it on the gap, and call it a day. To get the most out of your sealant, you'll need to pick the best one for each type of area.

Tape Weather Stripping

Of all the types of weather stripping, the tape is one of the most popular due to its low cost and ease of installation. Some of the areas that tape can be applied to include:

• Door frames
• Window sashes
• Double-hung window rails
• Attic hatches
• Doorstops
• Casement window stops

Tape also comes in a wide variety of materials, including rubber, closed-cell (non-porous) foam, and open-cell foam. The trade-off with the low cost of this product is that it isn't as durable as other types of weather stripping. Because they get a lot of use, the tape shouldn't be used for garage door weather stripping or doors that are constantly opened and closed.

Tension Seal Weather Stripping

Another popular option, tension seal weather stripping (also known as V-strips or V-seals), is more durable than tape but generally a little more difficult to install. These may be made of vinyl with a self-adhesive backing or a metal such as copper, aluminum, or stainless steel that is then nailed into place. You may wish to use this type of Flower Mound weather stripping for:

• Double-hung or sliding window tracks
• Top of door
• Side of door

Door Sweeps

Made of stainless steel or aluminum combined with softer material such as vinyl, felt, or flexible plastic, door sweeps are attached to the bottom of an exterior door. As the name suggests, these devices 'sweep' the ground as the door swings open and shut.

Though they provide an extremely effective seal, some owners don’t like that door sweeps are visible. However, the design tends to be very simple. Your guests likely won’t think twice about it!

Tubular Rubber and Vinyl Weather Stripping

Generally, for use around a door and occasionally windows, tubular weather stripping is designed to fit into the millwork grooves. When the door or window closes, they press against the tube, closing up the tube and providing a tight air seal.

This design is very effective for keeping out air, but it can be a little bit pricey. You probably won't need to use these in too many areas of the home, so the higher price may be worth it.

Other Weather Stripping Options

The options above are by no means the only choices for Flower Mound weather stripping. Some of the other options you may be able to pick up from your local hardware store, or order online are as follows:

• Felt. Inexpensive and easy to install, but the least durable of all options.
• Foam. Inexpensive but difficult to install.
• Magnetic. Expensive but very effective.
• Silicone. Similar to tubular weather stripping and just as effective but challenging to install.
• Door shoe. Expensive but durable and an effective moisture barrier.
• Fin seal. Very effective for sliding windows and sliding doors but can be expensive.
• Bulb threshold. Combines weather stripping and a door threshold all in one. It may also come in materials that protect against frost, but this isn't a huge concern for Flower Mound weather stripping.
• Interlocking metal channels. The most expensive and complex type of weather stripping to install, but extremely effective and durable. This type must be installed by a professional.

Garage Door Weather Stripping

Compared to other exterior doors, garage doors are much larger and have a much different opening mechanism. Due to these differences and generally much larger surface area, garage door weather stripping may require combining several different products to create the best seal. A new garage door comes with a seal on the bottom of the door, but like all things, it can degrade or incur damage over time. To replace or upgrade your garage door weather stripping, follow these steps:

• Replace the door sweep: For metal garage doors, you’ll want to choose a rubber gasket. More basic strips with angled edges can be used on wood garage doors. These are typically attached using galvanized nails.
• Add a garage door threshold seal: These are attached directly to the concrete floor of your garage. They’re not necessary, but if a door sweep doesn’t fill the gap completely, a threshold seal can help close it.
• Add weather stripping to the sides and edges: Install tape or tension seal weather stripping to the molding around the sides and top of your garage door. If you don’t have this molding already, now is a great time to install it.
• Add weather stripping to individual panels: Older garage door panels may have flat edges. To prevent drafts from entering these, tension seal weather stripping should be added.

Some garage door issues can't be fixed with garage door weather stripping alone. If you need to replace or adjust any gaskets, or the concrete floor has shifted so much that large gaps are present, you may need to call in a garage door specialist for more heavy-duty work.

How to Install Flower Mound Weather Stripping

Flower Mound weather stripping can be a DIY project if you're comfortable doing so and have time available to do the installation. Generally speaking, tape and V-strips are relatively simple to install on your own. You shouldn't need any specialized tools other than something to cut the strip with, a tape measure, and possibly some staples if you want to really secure the stripping. Make sure that you measure the linear feet of the product needed to avoid running out mid-installation and needing to run out to the store or place another order.

For many homeowners, installing weather stripping in Flower Mound is a task that might be best left to the professionals. While tape and V-strips have a straightforward installation process, if you want to install a different type of weather stripping, installation may not be as easy. The installation needs to be done properly to ensure that the stripping properly seals all the gaps and cracks, and unless you're a professional, you may find this hard to achieve.

A professional handyman can also inspect your property for areas that may need Flower Mound weather stripping replacement. The sooner that a broken seal is caught, the less likely it is that your home will suffer from water damage.

Hire The Professionals At Mr. Handyman For Quick And Effective Flower Mound Weather Stripping

Mr. Handyman of Flower Mound, Lewisville, and Denton is proud to serve residents in many areas north of Fort Worth, such as Lewisville, Lantana, and Justin. Our trained professionals have many years of experience repairing and replacing weather seals, including garage door weather stripping.

As a Neighborly company, our services are founded on three core values: integrity, respect, and customer focus. We want you to be happy with the quality of workmanship, which is why we offer a ‘done right’ guarantee.