Cutting back on your energy usage in winter is always a good idea. It gives you the chance to reduce your carbon footprint while lowering your heating bill. You can trust a door draft guard to help you do it.
In this article, you’ll find out what a door draft stopper is and why it’s a good idea to use one. They come in a wide variety so we’ll explore their different styles and materials. Plus, if you are an avid DIYer, you’ll also learn how to make your own door snake.
What Is a Door Draft Stopper?
A door draft stopper is an insulation tool. It is used at the base of a door to stop air from entering or leaving a room under the door.
Common types are a stuffed fabric tube, vinyl weather stripping, and an aluminum door bottom seal with a nylon brush.
Why Use Door Draft Stoppers?
Door draft stoppers work on a very simple principle: warm air rises and cold air sinks. The cold air wafts under doors, no matter how small the space between the door and the floor is. Here are some benefits of using a door draft guard to solve the problem.
Simple and easy to install
Door snakes and many other door draft stopper ideas are quite straightforward to use. In the case of the door snake, all you have to do is place it at the base of the door.
Some door bottom seals with weatherstripping are designed to be screwed on to the door. There are self-adhesive variations, as well, that make installation easier for you.
Practical
Door draft guards are a practical option for keeping your home comfortably warm in colder months. They work just as effectively in warmer months, too, by keeping the cooler air inside the house.
Renters will appreciate that many door draft guards do not require making permanent changes to the home. They won’t put you at risk of violating your rent agreement
Energy-Saving
A quick energy audit will reveal where your home’s energy efficiency is lacking and in need of attention. Sealing the spaces between your doors and the floor goes a long way in reducing your energy consumption Image by Tumisu from Pixabay
According to energy.gov, “The potential energy savings from reducing drafts in a home may range from 10% to 20% per year.” Those savings make your home greener by making it more environmentally friendly.
Economical
You can keep your home comfortably warm without sending your energy bill through the roof. Door draft stoppers are inexpensive and so are an economical choice. You won’t have to wait long for the money saved on your heating bill to make up for what you spent on the door draft guards.
Design-friendly
Some door draft guards are quite inconspicuous. They are functional but have no effect, positively or negatively, on your home’s interior design.
Other door draft stoppers are visible and will impact your home’s décor. You can control and maximize this by selecting ones that complement the aesthetic you are after.
Furthermore, a door snake for drafts gives you the opportunity to put your creative abilities and unique style on display.
Blocks more than drafts
Having a door draft guard that stops drafts is great. There is added satisfaction in knowing that they can also keep out dust as well as insects and other vermin.
Annoying noise and unwanted light are also prevented from radiating under the door. Your home gets closer to being the comfortable and stress-free sanctuary you want it to be.
Different Styles and Material of Door Draft Stoppers
Here is a selection of the styles and materials you have to choose from. Keep in mind that some door draft guard variations also work as window draft stoppers. Place them at the base of windows to prevent cold air from coming in via that route.
Door sweep
These are usually an aluminium or PVC holder fitted with a nylon brush or weatherstrip. Some are screwed on while others are held in place by an adhesive. There are others that you slide or screw onto the underside of the door.
Twin draft guard
Twin draft guards are like 2-in-1 door snakes that work for both sides of the door. They easily slide under the door and conveniently move with the door as it moves.
(pictured) is fire resistant. It also resists mold and mildew.
Hook and loop fasteners
These are basically a door snake held in place by strips hook and loop fasteners. One side of the fastener is pasted to the door bottom while the other is attached to the door snake. The door snake moves with the door but is easily removed whenever necessary.
Magnetic door draft stopper
A magnetic door draft stopper works very well on metal doors. It features a magnetic strip at the back of the draft stopper. The stopper itself may be a door snake or some other form of door bottom seal.
Sliding doors draft stopper
This draft stopper is designed as a long door snake. Half of its length overlapped by a shorter, attached snake.
How to Make a Draft Stopper
To make your own, door draft stopper, you’ll need fabric, filling, scissors, and measuring tape. You’ll also need a sewing machine or a needle and thread.
Filling options include:
- Buckwheat
- Crushed walnut shells
- Beans
- Uncooked rice
- Beads
- Insulating polyester or foam (with any of the above added for weight)
Pool noodles do a good job, too, as shown in this video of how to make a twin draft guard.
- Measure the width of the door.
- Cut a piece of fabric that is 8.5 inches wide and as long as the width of the door plus 1 inch.
- Iron the fabric, if needed, so that it is flat. Fold the fabric in half so that the two long sides come together. Ensure that the eventual inside is on the outside. Image by Mystic Art Design from Pixabay
- Stitch the two long sides together. You now have a long tube with its short ends open.
- Stitch one short end closed, as well. You now have a long tube with one short end open and the other closed.
- Turn out the tube so that it is no longer inside-out.
- Add the filling through the open end.
- Stitch your new door snake closed.
- Place it wherever it is needed.
An easier and quicker method is using one leg from a pair of tights. Tie one end closed then cut the tube so that you have the required length plus room to tie the other end once it’s filled.
Bottom line: Can you find a door draft guard that will actually stop drafts?
Door draft stoppers effectively keep out the cold air that tries to seep under the door and into your home. That cold air has a sneaky way of adding to your energy consumption. It does it without you realizing that’s where those extra dollars on your heating bill are coming from.
Draft stoppers are sold in a wide selection of styles and materials. You should have no trouble finding one to suit your needs.
