Why is Weather Strip Manufacturers Better?

Tension seal:

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Self-stick plastic (vinyl) folded along length in a V-shape or a springy bronze strip (also copper, aluminum, and stainless steel) shaped to bridge a gap. The shape of the material creates a seal by pressing against the sides of a crack to block drafts.

Inside the track of a double-hung or sliding window, top and sides of door.Moderate; varies with material used.Durable, invisible when in place, very effective. Vinyl is fairly easy to install. Look of bronze works well for older homes.Surfaces must be flat and smooth for vinyl. Can be difficult to install, as corners must be snug. Bronze must be nailed in place (every three inches or so) so as not to bend or wrinkle. Can increase resistance in opening/closing doors or windows. Self-adhesive vinyl available. Some manufacturers include extra strip for door striker plate.

Felt:

Plain or reinforced with a flexible metal strip; sold in rolls. Must be stapled, glued, or tacked into place. Seals best if staples are parallel to length of the strip.

Around a door or window (reinforced felt); fitted into a door jamb so the door presses against it.LowEasy to install, inexpensive.Low durability; least effective preventing airflow. Do not use where exposed to moisture or where there is friction or abrasion. All-wool felt is more durable and more expensive. Very visible.

Reinforced foam:

Closed-cell foam attached to wood or metal strips.

Door or window stops; bottom or top of window sash; bottom of door.Moderately lowEffective sealer, scored well in wind tests, rigid.Can be difficult to install; must be sawed, nailed, and painted. Very visible. Manufacturing process produces greenhouse gas emissions.

Tape:

Nonporous, closed-cell foam, open-cell foam, or EDPM (ethylene propylene diene monomer) rubber.

Top and bottom of window sash; door frames; attic hatches and inoperable windows. Good for blocking corners and irregular cracks.Low

Extremely easy to install, works well when compressed, inexpensive. Can be reinforced with staples.

Durability varies with material used, but not especially high for all; use where little wear is expected; visible.

Rolled or reinforced vinyl:

Pliable or rigid strip gasket (attached to wood or metal strips.)

Door or window stops; top or bottom of window sash; bottom of a door (rigid strip only).Low to moderateEasy installation, low to moderate cost. Self-adhesive on pliable vinyl may not adhere to metal; some types of rigid strip gaskets provide slot holes to adjust height, increasing durability. Comes in varying colors to help with visibility.Visible

Door sweep:

Aluminum or stainless steel with brush of plastic, vinyl, sponge, or felt.

Bottom of interior side of in-swinging door; bottom of exterior side of exterior-swinging door.Moderate to highRelatively easy to install; many types are adjustable for uneven threshold. Automatically retracting sweeps also available, which reduce drag on carpet and increase durability.Visible. Can drag on carpet. Automatic sweeps are more expensive and can require a small pause once door is unlatched before retracting.

Magnetic:

Works similarly to refrigerator gaskets.

Top and sides of doors, double-hung and sliding window channels.HighVery effective air sealer.

Tubular rubber and vinyl:

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Vinyl or sponge rubber tubes with a flange along length to staple or tack into place. Door or window presses against them to form a seal.

Around a door.Moderate to highEffective air barrier.Self-stick versions challenging to install.

Reinforced silicone:

Tubular gasket attached to a metal strip that resembles reinforced tubular vinyl

On a doorjamb or a window stop.Moderate to highSeals well.Installation can be tricky. Hacksaw required to cut metal; butting corners pose a challenge.

Door shoe:

Aluminum face attachment with vinyl C-shaped insert to protect under the door.

To seal space beneath door.Moderate to high.Sheds rain on the exterior, durable. Can be used with uneven opening. Some door shoes have replaceable vinyl inserts.
Fairly expensive; installation moderately difficult. May require door bottom planing.

Bulb threshold:

Vinyl and aluminum

Door thresholds.Moderate to highCombination threshold and weatherstrip; available in different heights.Wears from foot traffic; relatively expensive.

"Frost-brake" threshold:

Aluminum or other metal on exterior, wood on interior, with door-bottom seam and vinyl threshold replacement.

To seal beneath a door.Moderate to highThe use of different materials means less cold transfer. Effective.Moderately difficult to install, involves threshold replacement.

Fin seal:

Pile weatherstrip with plastic Mylar fin centered in pile.

For aluminum sliding windows and sliding glass doors.Moderate to highVery durable.Can be difficult to install.

While the scope of industrial and commercial applications for weatherstripping is limited, it is an essential product to many industries. Some manufacturing companies dedicate all of their extrusion lines to the production of different kinds of weatherstripping. Weatherstripping functions primarily as a door and window insulator. Specifically, it fills gaps between the moving parts of doors and windows and their fixtures.

In the automotive industry, weatherstripping for car doors, windows, trunks and hoods is indispensable. In the construction industry, particularly in geographical areas where cold weather is a consideration for residential builders and maintenance professionals, weatherstripping is becoming an increasingly important part of energy-efficient climate control. Weatherstripping products also have limited applications in industries that manufacture ice machines or storage refrigerators.

All weatherstripping products are processed with rubber extruders, which are machines that convert raw natural or synthetic rubber materials into strengthened, functional products. An extrusion line begins with a collection of rubber pellets in a hopper that directs the raw material, or stock, into a conveyor channel. The hopper is usually placed above an opening in the conveyor channel, and gravity sends the stock into the channel. In most rubber extruders, the conveyor channel is equipped with a long screw that moves and pressurizes the stock while it is heated. Near the end of the channel, the pressurized, heated stock reaches a near-liquefied state and is ready to be forced into the die.

A die is a tool that is used to create hardened shapes out of a given raw material. In the case of weatherstripping dies, the die will be a narrow hole through which the stock is forced. As this happens, the stock takes the shape of the die, which it keeps once it has hardened. The newly extruded rubber may at this point be cut and shipped, or it can continue to additional processing if necessary. For use in demanding applications, like in the automotive industry, weatherstripping may be cured with sulfur or other curatives in a process called vulcanization. This process improves the rubber's strength and durability, making it more weather-resistant.

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