Author Topic: Do I just need to replace this door?  (Read 3173 times)

ShoulderThingThatGoesUp

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Do I just need to replace this door?
« on: February 18, 2016, 07:46:14 AM »
My laundry room is in a finished porch with a door to the outside. Previously we had insulation added underneath the floor of the room, because it hurt to walk in there in the winter. The floor is better now, but the room still gets very cold. You can feel outside air coming in between the door and the doorframe - with the storm door in place. I tried weatherstripping the door, but that made it so it didn't close at all and actually made the leak worse. It turns out the door and doorframe just don't fit together very well and no amount of weatherstripping will fix it. Questions:
1. Is the best solution to replace it with a prehung, insulated exterior door?
2. Is there a guide to adjusting doors so they sit in the frame better?

lthenderson

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Re: Do I just need to replace this door?
« Reply #1 on: February 18, 2016, 08:32:15 AM »
My guess since the door previously shut and then after weather stripping couldn't shut is that you used the wrong weather stripping that was too big/thick. Thinner weather stripping can be used and if the door doesn't seat properly or rattles when closed, you can adjust the latch plate so that the door is against the seal.

Door can be adjusted but there are a lot of ways to adjust them and a lot of ways they can get out of adjustment and without a better description or a picture, it is hard to tell you how to adjust it to give you a better fit.

Is the old door an exterior grade door? Is it in good shape? These are all questions to answer to tell you if it is worth it to replace it with a prehung door. Installing exterior doors can be difficult depending on the exterior of the house and how the door ties into the trim and siding materials. Much harder than an interior door.

Fishindude

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Re: Do I just need to replace this door?
« Reply #2 on: February 18, 2016, 09:02:45 AM »
In most cases, a good "bulb" type weather stripping screwed to the jambs, and a bottom sweep or threshold on the door will do wonders.  Guessing you used the wrong type of weatherstrip.

ShoulderThingThatGoesUp

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Re: Do I just need to replace this door?
« Reply #3 on: February 18, 2016, 10:59:25 AM »
In most cases, a good "bulb" type weather stripping screwed to the jambs, and a bottom sweep or threshold on the door will do wonders.  Guessing you used the wrong type of weatherstrip.

Exactly what I used.

zolotiyeruki

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Re: Do I just need to replace this door?
« Reply #4 on: February 18, 2016, 11:11:10 AM »
It sounds like the frame either wasn't installed straight, or your walls have shifted slightly over time.  We had a similar problem with our mudroom door.  I pulled off the trim, adjusted the fit with an 8lb sledge and a hunk of 2x4, and now it shuts much tighter.

Fishindude

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Re: Do I just need to replace this door?
« Reply #5 on: February 18, 2016, 01:09:27 PM »
Sometimes a door will latch and lock shut, but still have quite a bit of play in it, so it doesn't really seal up tight to the weatherstripping.
This could be your issue?   May need to adjust or replace the lockset, strike plate or deadbolt.

paddedhat

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Re: Do I just need to replace this door?
« Reply #6 on: February 19, 2016, 06:30:56 AM »
Pics of the door, latch, hinge and strike sides from inside and out..................then we have something to go on. It could be a two minute adjustment, or a door that is at the end of it's useful life, and needs to hit the dump. Can't say much without the pics.

Blueeyes7767

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Re: Do I just need to replace this door?
« Reply #7 on: February 21, 2016, 02:53:59 AM »
My laundry room is in a finished porch with a door to the outside. Previously we had insulation added underneath the floor of the room, because it hurt to walk in there in the winter. The floor is better now, but the room still gets very cold. You can feel outside air coming in between the door and the doorframe - with the storm door in place. I tried weatherstripping the door, but that made it so it didn't close at all and actually made the leak worse. It turns out the door and doorframe just don't fit together very well and no amount of weatherstripping will fix it. Questions:
1. Is the best solution to replace it with a prehung, insulated exterior door?
2. Is there a guide to adjusting doors so they sit in the frame better?
With my house, I have been trying for years to seal every air leak.  When I weather strip my doors it takes a short time for the weatherstripping to settle in and form to the door and frame. Not a thing is set plum in this place.  Making it difficult at repair and maintence time.