Introduction: Stopping Cold Air Drafts in Old Houses

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About: I'm a middle school history teacher. I'm learning electronics and coding the Arduino to make fun stuff like a beer tap.

This is a short Instructable and probably a no brainer but, for some reason, I never thought of this for the last four years and the Victorian home I'm restoring has been unbelievably cold and hot during winter and summer months. I needed something cheap and removable because every door (and there are a lot of them) needed to have a seal on the bottom that was nondestructive.

I decided to use the large foam rubber pipe insulation on the bottom of the doors. It's already split lengthwise and has sticky adhesive on both sides of the split. Perfect. There are smaller sizes, the ones I used are big enough to go under the door to the other side and adhere. Smaller ones won't reach.

Steps:

1. Measure and cut to the width of your door.

2. Peel just a small amount of the tape away from the split and position the foam. Only peel one side, not both sides.

3. Attach and pull the tape away slowly as you position the foam to the door bottom.

4. Now check the bottom and ensure the gaps are blocked enough so the air can't come in. The foam should touch the floor or carpet enough to block but not enough to pull the foam off.

5. Now peel and stick the other side to the door bottom.

Done. You will be warmer or cooler, save so much money and resolve issues for a couple of dollars. We've saved several hundred dollars over the last year by doing this and the foam stays on with no problem. It has come off a little at the open edge of the door but I fixed it with rubber cement glue and that was resolved. It's the same stuff used for wetsuits so rain isn't getting in any more too. An added bonus I didn't expect. Now to fix the rest of the house...

Step 1: 1. Measure and Cut to the Width of Your Door.

1. Measure and cut to the width of your door.

Step 2: 2. Peel Just a Small Amount of the Tape Away From the Split and Position the Foam.

2. Peel just a small amount of the tape away from the split and position the foam. Only peel one side, not both sides.

Step 3: 3. Attach and Pull the Tape Away Slowly As You Position the Foam to the Door Bottom.

3. Attach and pull the tape away slowly as you position the foam to the door bottom.

Step 4: 4. Now Check the Bottom and Ensure the Gaps Are Blocked Enough So the Air Can't Come In. the Foam Should Touch the Floor or Carpet Enough to Block But Not Enough to Pull the Foam Off.

4. Now check the bottom and ensure the gaps are blocked enough so the air can't come in. The foam should touch the floor or carpet enough to block but not enough to pull the foam off.

Step 5: 5. Now Peel and Stick the Other Side to the Door Bottom.

5. Now peel and stick the other side to the door bottom. Done.

You will be warmer or cooler, depending on weather, and save so much money and resolve issues for a couple of dollars.

We've saved a couple of hundred dollars over the last year by doing this and the foam stays on with pretty much with no problem. It has come off a little at the open edge of the door but I fixed it with rubber cement glue and that was resolved.

It's the same stuff used for wetsuits so rain isn't getting in anymore either. An added bonus I didn't expect.

Now to fix the rest of the house...