How do you seal a drafty door?

[cosmie]

I need to seal a really shoddy doorframe which has massive air leakage. For the side frame (picture), I planned on just using a spray foam like GreatStuff.

However, there's also a draft at the bottom of the frame (picture). Note that the draft isn't between the door and the baseplate, but between the base plate and the concrete foundation. What do I use in this case? Outside, the base plate sticks out a good inch past the foundation, and in that space there's a vertical gap of about an inch between the baseplate and the driveway. I could possibly put something in that gap as a seal, but I don't know if that's the right way to deal with it, or what type of seal to use.

Any advice would be awesome. I can't do anything drastic like reframing the door, as I'm just renting a room in this house for the next 6 months. But that door leads directly down into my basement room, and it severally screws with my comfort (it's been ~10F this week).

[James]

The spray foam is a good idea for both locations, but along the bottom I'd try to have a piece of treated wood that can fill the gap on the outside.  Spray foam in the gap, and then apply the piece of wood so it's flush and covers the foam.  If the gap under the door is too small for foam, then just switch to caulk to fill the gap and seal things up.

[cosmie]

Thanks!

The gap below the door is fairly small, and I think any foam would just cause more problems than it solves, although if I use it from the outside it may work well...

What kind of caulk would you suggest?

[Jimmay]

One thing that I have done in the past for bottom of the door air leakage is to either install a double door snake worked pretty well.  Or if you inclined to drilling in the door, you can install a door sweep.  I have a wooden door, so it was no problem installing one of these.

Door Sweep:
http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-100159761/h_d2/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&keyword=door+sweep&storeId=10051

[James]

Thanks!

The gap below the door is fairly small, and I think any foam would just cause more problems than it solves, although if I use it from the outside it may work well...

What kind of caulk would you suggest?

I was thinking filling the gap under the door from the outside and then placing the piece of wood on top of the foam while it was still wet.  The foam seals the space, and the wood covers the foam and makes it look nice.  The caulk option would work from either side, just fill the gap as completely and deeply as possible.  Pretty much any caulk would work, just read the label for uses and pick something that stays flexible.

[meadow lark]

Make sure you use the kind for windows and doors.  The other kind is so strong it can push the windows so they are no longer plumb or square.  (Or that's what I was taught.)

[darkelenchus]

Take lue

I need to seal a really shoddy doorframe which has massive air leakage. For the side frame (picture), I planned on just using a spray foam like GreatStuff.

You could also fill the crack with fiberglass insulation, nail/glue a furring strip to the frame, then caulk around the furring strip.

There's also a draft at the bottom of the frame (picture).

Sounds like a job for Great Stuff.

That door leads directly down into my basement room, and it severally screws with my comfort (it's been ~10F this week).

Yikes! Stay safe!

[James]

You could also fill the crack with fiberglass insulation, nail/glue a furring strip to the frame, then caulk around the furring strip.

I absolutely agree and should have mentioned this also, if you owned the house it would really be the only way to go.  It would look 100% better than spray foam and work just as well or better.  Another thought would be to mention the issue with your landlord and see if he will give you a rebate on your rent if do it in a way that will look great long term.  Not that any of those things are expensive, but if you don't have scraps around it can be a pain to find those things, without purchasing more than you need and then trying to get rid of the rest.

[Guitarguy]

This is kind of related and I was wondering this too: What if its your front door? We have a TON of cold air leaking through the bottom of our front door and we're not sure how to plug it up for less than $15. Our electric bill easily went up by $50 last month because it leaks so much.

[Onlyif]

- A door sweep from one of the home improvement stores,  they are about $10.
- Cheaper option, but less convenient, put something along the bottom of the door to block the draft, just an old towel rolled up works. 
- Depending on the door weather stripping might work?