A Guide to Weatherproofing Your Door This Summer
Weatherproofing is most often synonymous with the cold seasons, however it’s important also weatherproof for the summer. Summer can be the busiest time of year for your door and the hardware has the most use. Also, the winter season can lead to summertime drafts, leakage, and hardware malfunctions. Here’s why you should weatherproof during the hottest season and how to do so:
Why Should I Weatherproof for Summer?
One, maintaining your household’s energy efficiency. By ensuring your door is properly sealed and the latch aligns with the strike plate (with no gaps) will reduce the strain on your air conditioning system and lower your energy bills.
Two, proper weatherproofing aids pest prevention and reduces the amount of humid air that enters your home. No one wants pests, mold or mildew in their home, and this will help to avoid these issues.
How do I Weatherproof my Door for Summer?
Follow the steps below to properly inspect and weatherproof your door:
- Initial inspection: Examine your door and frame for any visible gaps, cracks, or signs of wear and tear.
- Check the alignment: Make sure your door and lockset are properly aligned, verifying the latch and strike plate fit together. Keep in mind temperature changes can cause wooden doors to expand or contract. In summer, the heat and/or humidity can make your door expand. If the door is misaligned, you may need to adjust the strike plate. Check out our Secure Spring Blog for tips on this.
- Examine the weatherstripping: Check to see if the weatherstripping is intact or worn down. Worn down weatherstripping can lead to unwanted moisture in the house and inside your lockset – causing rust and operational issues.
- Clean your lockset: A dirty lockset is one of the main culprits of lock malfunction. Use a mild detergent and soft cloth to clean the exterior of the lockset. Don’t forget summer is the season of salt, sand, and sun.
- Test all functions: Inspect your door one final time after adjustments have been made and test all parts of the lockset including the deadbolt and latch to ensure they are functioning smoothly and properly. This means the door opens easily, locks without getting stuck, and there is no gap between the door and the frame or the latch and the strike plate. Finally, open and close the door to confirm it doesn’t require excessive force and if you notice any resistance, it may indicate further adjustment.