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Install or Replace Door Sweeps

Materials Cost: 1
Difficulty Level: 1

Introduction

Door sweeps are a type of metal weatherstripping that is installed at the bottom of exterior doors to prevent air infiltration, reduce drafts, increase the durability of the door, and reduce pest intrusion.

Why

Exterior doorways are essentially large holes in the exterior shell of the home connecting the indoors to the outdoors or to other unconditioned spaces like garages, attics, and porches. Doors adjacent to unconditioned spaces should be treated as exterior doors. With proper installation and air-sealing, exterior doors do not have to represent a significant source of air leakage and heat loss. When installed correctly, door sweeps can provide a robust barrier at the bottom of doors, preventing air, wind, rain, pest, and dust infiltration.

What You'll Need

  • Tape Measure
  • Door sweep 
  • Level
  • Hack Saw
  • Utility Knife
  • Drill

1. Select a new door sweep.

First, identify the type of door sweep you’d like to install. There are aluminum sweeps, rubber sweeps, brush sweeps, sweeps that snap into kerfs cut in the bottom of the door, vinyl sweeps that have an adhesive strip to attach along the bottom on one side of the door, metal sweeps that screw into the bottom of the door, aluminum and vinyl sweeps that are screwed into one side along the bottom of the door, and sweeps that wrap around the bottom of the door. Figures 1 and 2 show a variety of door sweeps. If you are replacing a sweep, you may want to replace it with the same type of sweep you had before or you may want to upgrade to a more durable sweep if the door gets a lot of use or you are also trying to keep out rodents. Make sure the sweep you purchase will work with the thickness of your door.  

Figure 1. Door sweeps, which provide a robust barrier at the bottom of doors, come in a variety of shapes and sizes (Source: TriState Home Inspections).
Threshold Sweep Flashing protects the door and helps to keep out wind-driven rain.
Threshold Sweep Flashing protects the door and helps to keep out wind-driven rain.
Threshold Sweep Flashing protects the door and helps to keep out wind-driven rain.
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Source
Reference
Home Builder's Guide to Coastal Construction, FEMA P-499
Author(s)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Organization(s)
FEMA
Description

Report containing 37 fact sheets that provide technical guidance and recommendations concerning the construction of coastal residential buildings.

Figure 2. Some door threshold sweeps are specifically designed to keep out wind-driven rain in hurricane areas (Source: FEMA).

2. Remove old door sweep.

  1. If there is already an old door sweep, remove the old sweep. 
  2. Unscrew mounting screws if there are any. 
  3. If the sweep snaps into a kerf cut into the bottom of the door, it can likely be pried out with a flat-head screwdriver or small pry bar. I
  4. f the old door sweep uses adhesive, carefully pull the sweep away from the door. If the adhesive is very stubborn, you may try warming it with a blow dryer first. 
  5. If there is no existing door sweep, proceed to the next step.

3. Measure door width.

Measure the width of the bottom edge of the door, where the door sweep will be installed (Figure 3). Measure the full width of the door. Gaps at either end could encourage rodent entry.

Figure 3. Before purchasing a door sweep, measure the full width of the door where the sweep will be installed (Source: PNNL).

4. Cut door sweep.

Using a hacksaw, cut the new door sweep, if necessary, to the required size. To get a clean cut, stop sawing when you reach the vinyl insert. Cut the vinyl part of the door sweep with a utility knife or a pair of scissors (Figure 4).

Figure 4. Cut the door sweep to size, using a hacksaw for the solid metal or plastic portion and either a utility knife or a pair of scissors for the vinyl portion (Source: PNNL).

5. Position door sweep.

  1. Close the door and position the door sweep at the bottom of the door with the bottom vinyl edge touching the door threshold (Figure 5). 
  2. Use a level to ensure the door sweep is even. 
  3. Either use painters tape or have someone else hold the door sweep in place and mark the center of the holes with a pencil. Make sure to mark the center of the hole to allow for future adjustment.
Figure 5. The door sweep should be installed level to the door, positioned such that the bottom edge touches the door threshold (Source: PNNL).

6. Drill pilot holes.

Drill pilot holes at each mark, using a drill bit that is narrower than the screw provided with the door sweep. Ensure that the holes are perpendicular to the door and make sure not to drill through the door itself.

7. Attach the door sweep.

  1. Attach the door sweep using the provided screws (if needed). Before fully tightening the screws, test the door sweep. The door sweep should allow the door to open and close comfortably without too much resistance but should firmly press the door threshold. 
  2. If needed, adjust the door sweep up or down to make sure that there is no gap between the bottom of the door sweep and the threshold. Ensure the door sweep is level and tighten the screws fully. Take care not to strip out the screws in case later adjustments are needed.

Additional Info

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Disclaimer

This content is a work created with funding provided by the United States Department of Energy under Contract no DE-AC05-076RL01830 for the operation of Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. The information and guidance provided by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) in the content are intended solely for educational purposes only and do not constitute formal training or certification. It is provided with the explicit understanding that neither the United States Government nor the United States Department of Energy, nor the Contractor, nor any or their employees, nor any jurisdiction or organization that has cooperated in the development of these materials, makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness or any information, apparatus, product, software, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States Government or any agency thereof, or Battelle Memorial Institute. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States Government or any agency thereof. Viewers assumes full responsibility for all actions that they may take from information provided in this content including ensuring the safety, code compliance, and proper functionality of any products they choose to install. Installation and use of such products should be performed in accordance with local regulations and manufacturer instructions.