I strongly discourage from using caulk on this project. First, he caulked the sweep to the door without checking to make sure it did not need adjusting. The screw holes on ones I have bought are actually slots which allow you to lift or lower the sweep as needed. Those slots are worthless if you caulk and screw the sweep into place. Second, Jeff is using what I consider to be a a disposable sweep. In 3 years or so, the fins of the sweep will begin failing and the sweep will need replacing again. If you've screwed from the bottom and caulked the sweep, it's going to take a lot longer to remove the old one next time.
Excellent points. I saw that same door sweep in the store and passed on it because I didn't want to be doing this again in a couple years. And when I saw him using the caulk I thought to myself: no I'm not going to do that. The screws will work just fine. Caulk is for weatherproofing or waterproofing not for adhesion.
I have a tip for all Y'all you tubers. Always read the follow-up comments on these little do it yourself videos...most videos are good and get the job done, but the comments from others give the ins and outs that really help with your projects! Thank me later!
I do this every time. And to be honest I always end up doing what some of the comments are saying. It really pays off to read into them and watch a few videos
I just installed a "Duck Triple draft Seal" yesterday. You don't have to remove your door unless you want to repair some dry rot on the bottom of the door. The side with the larger lip goes on the inside, slip the end over the edge of the door. Then use a rubber mallet to bump it into place. Then you can adjust the height of the draft seal for the gap.
Being a do it yourself older lady, I can’t seem to find the right drill bit, (none of mine worked near as easy as yours..)..and the instructions did not say to put screws on the bottom of the door, but I had decided to do that anyway. Glad to see you do that....and caulking was a good idea as well.. thanks for your help.
I have the same door sweep he used but before you install it, MAKE SURE the bottom of your door is level from end to end and not leaning. Don't just assume everything's all good. Otherwise when you install the door sweep and secure it with screws, you might find out you don't have the clearance from the floor and the bottom of the door. As you open and close the door, the rubber seal part will scrape more on one side than the other, especially if you have carpet.
Thanks for telling us about the U shaped door sweep. My one concern is you did not caulk the outside edge, or put in weep holes on the outside in case rain gets between the sweep and the door. Even with a metal door you don't want standing water on the bottom. But I added to my list and will be measuring my doo width!
Exactly this. It wil rub off the paint and expose the metal over time, and a little moisture will rust the door. Also as someone else mentioned, this is a temporary door sweep which will likely need replacing in 3 years anyway.
Things settle and move over the years too or sometimes even new doors are slightly askew and all doors dont have the exact same gap between the door and the threshold. Thats why they make these sweeps adjustable. You may have to adjust just a couple of screws once you have it installed to make it contact the threshold in just a certain spot. Happens all the time. How would you do this if its caulked and screwed from the bottom?
Don't take the door off the hinges for this, don't ever caulk and screw the bottom. Just open the door and slide the sweep on from the side. It's way easier to set the height of the sweep if you leave the door on the hinges.
Yeah, that's what I was thinking too. Doesn't seem like the small amount of benefit provided by the bottom screws and bead of caulk justifies the work and risk of removing and re-hanging the door. As a "careful noob" who hasn't screwed anything up yet, taking the front door of my house off the hinges freaks me out. My nightmare home improvement scenario involves having to call a pro to finish a job I started. I think I may rather just burn the house down than suffer that humiliation.
William Binns Yeah this video is a good example of someone not knowing what they're doing and attempting to "over do" the job while they actually "under do" the job. There is no benefit to caulking and screwing the bottom. It is something you should specifically not do. It's just going to put holes for moisture to enter, and the screw heads will certainly rust to the point of being unusable when it comes time to replace the weatherstripping later. Hopefully he used cheap caulk and can pry the thing apart after he grinds the screws off, otherwise he'll be buying a new door in 10 years.
I agree taking off the door is way too much work to just install a door sweep. It is just as easy to slide it on the side in mounted with a few screws for security. Really there's no need for caulking at all. And not all doors have that much space where you can slide that underneath.
You just installed that adjustable sweep to where it won't adjust by screwing it from the bottom. Instead, keep the door hung, slide the sweep on, close the door, and push the adjustable sweep down to contact the threshold to ensure a tight seal before screwing it to the door. Notice how he didn't put the camera on the floor to show us the huge gap he now has or the footage of him having to undo everything he just did to reinstall correctly.
Michael Hiers thanks for your feedback but there wasn't any issue with a huge gap. I showed it this way because sometimes it's very difficult to just slide the sweep onto the door. As such, I wanted people to see the complete tutorial :D
you are right, not all door are gapped the same hights. mine is higher on the back more open on the front. Push it down, open it a few times, check your line of site or seal, then drill holes.
If replacing the door sweep on a cedar door, should the side facing the exterior be caulked as well to prevent water from collecting within the sides of the sweep and causing wood rot? The original sweep does not have the sides going up as high as the one shown in the video. It's been impossible to find the original sweep. Thanks for the great video. Look forward to your expertise.
+John Wen I've noticed that water pools in my sweep and directs it to the edges of the door, causing it to flow into the edge of the door frame and into the house, so yes the caulking must go on edge where the weather hits the door. I don't see any value in putting it on the bottom.
the problem that I see or don't see in this video and others like it is what does the seal look like on the exterior? Does it seal enough to wear water, dirt or other things won't fall into any gap and rot your door? I used this U-shaped one a few years ago on my front door. And while it was pretty good, I had to eventually run a piece of duct tape across the top of the exterior to prevent it from pulling away from the door, and to keep out any moisture. The original door sweep was bad, and had to be replaced. Thanks.
Attachment holes are oval shaped for up and down movement to make adjustments. Driving screws underneath prevents this adjustment from being made. I guess you just lucked out that the gap was the same size as the sweep.
Thanks for posting this. This is just what I need to cover the gap at the bottom of my door. An added bonus is that it keeps bugs out during the summer months.
Thanks Jeff...have to replace mine today; I've got some wood rot on the bottom of mydoor so I'm anxious to see what I need to do. Great instructional video!
+Jeff Patterson Hi Jeff, I removed the door and the wood running 2/3 the length of the bottom of the door was rotted. I removed it but will need to fill it. Would wood filler be ok? Approx 20 x 1.5 inch space. I appreciate your help!
I tried that kind of door sweep. Within a few weeks, the flaps started tearing off a bit. The original that I replaced was a similar design, but attached to the bottom of the door via some channels/grooves in the bottom of the door. That one lasted a couple of years or so before wearing too much. I'm looking for a different kind at this point. I'm thinking something more tube-based rather than thin flap based.
These U channel sweeps are great, but they will also rot the bottom of your door over time. It's best to seal the outside facing edge of the sweep with caulk. This way rain water doesn't run down the door and settle in the channel.
Not sure what it’s called but the wood contact point for the sweep is adjustable on my exterior doors. It has screws that allow it to be raised and lowered to meet the sweep flush. All the comments saying that you shouldn’t screw it on are accurate only if there is no adjustable contact point. I would call it the threshold but it’s really just a strip of hard wood with screws so it’s part of the threshold but not THE threshold. I suspect that the failure of my sweep(after 7years...) was due to the flexing of this contact point from moisture and temp variations.
Did you notice that the holes are elongated to make the sweep adjustable. This is done to allow for an uneven fit at the bottom & if you caulk & screw down the sill flush to the door bottom, you will no longer have this option available. On the other hand, if both door & frame are new & installed square, as long as the gasket at the bottom is long enough for the bottom gap, then there should be no problem.
I agree with the majority who advocate no screws on the bottom otherwise you cannot adjust the sweep up and down. I change my sweep with one like in the video each year and I never remove the door. I just slide it on and adjust the sweep to have slight pressure on the sill then tighten in place. Appreciate the video. It prompted others to let people how they do it. I’ll bet Jan does it his way because that is what has been successful for him in the past.
Cool Thanks I have a Tenant at my dads house that needed one adjusted i think i can also put a thick 1/4 in wood strip on the doorstep to make the sweem contact. Very helpful.
Recently bought a house with this type of sweep on the man door or a garage. The water accumulated in the sweep which led to a lot of wood rot on the bottom and hinge side of the door. The water also ran out both sides of the sweep (presumably got into the sweep from water running down the door) and this led to rot on the wood jamb and deteriorated interior drywall at the bottom. I wouldn't recommend this type of sweep.
This sounds like what is happening to my front door. I'm not sure how estimate how much damage has been done to the wood jamb, or subfloor, though. Any ideas?
Assuming that a door (or most doors) is made of or contains wood, how does the U-shaped door sweep protect the door from water and moisture infiltrating and causing mold growth? Does it? Should an caulk or sealer of some sort be applied to the top edges?
please do not screw the sweep to the bottom of the door and do not put caulk there. It defeats the whole purpose of having an adjustable sweep. The screw holes on the interior side of the sweep are elongated to make adjustment perfect for the threshold. Caulk and screws on the bottom won't allow for the custom fit.
Not all sweeps are the same. Just this week I had 3 different situations. The U channel/ C Channel like this video, a duel fin rabbited style- that gets tapped in - with a piece of wood and a folded type Fin style. Before you get in too deep check the correct one to buy.
Thank you. I am sick of waiting for my husband to do this, I Am going to do it myself. But why remove the door? Can’t I just slide it on and put the screws onto the sides only? I haven’t seen them screwed from the bottom.
This product and method will not weatherproof your doorway - rain water will still ingress under the door. You need a weather bar set into the threshold. This is usually set under the door - so a door sweep will not work. However, you could set one into the threshold so that the door closes against it. Hope this makes sense for people who have rain leaking in under the door.
Paintbox, can you explain? What is a weather bar? I have an 8' metal exterior with full glass (heavy) where the original weatherstrip is worn out and leaks. It gets direct rain. How best to repair this?
A "weather bar" or "water bar" appears to be the British English for what I would call a "drip cap" in many instances, although the poster is talking about one that embeds into the threshold, which I have also found examples of online. There are "flipper" types (what Americans would think of as drip caps) and "bubble" types (semi-circular rubber ones that resemble the kind that are usually under door bottoms in the US). Embedding it into the threshold seems like an interesting concept, except for the fact that it protrudes about a 1/2" or so above the threshold (though some seem to be made of flexible material). I would worry about tripping. Additionally, If you do an image search for "Draught Excluder Weather Seal Door Weatherbar," you'll find an image of an impressive system of drip caps and door sweeps in one unit that surely will solve your problem. I'd like to find this in the US.
Absolutely true. I thought this product would keep the water out, but now that the rubber is tearing I have water intrusion under the door. I need another "workable" solution!
Hey man this is a stupid question I'm about to ask, lol. What is the best way to measure for my threshold to bottom door clearance? I have a double wide mobile home and my front entry door, lower seal/sweep, looks like it has torn and a piece sticks out at the bottom when I open and shut the door.
Good idea. My front wood door is short so I need to make it longer to adjust to the thresholder. Can I use the sweep to adjust the size of the door? Is that metal or plastic?
my exterior door sweep is made out of two pieces. The leaf blower landscapers blew the sweep off several times until the contact/hanging adjustable parts broke. can't find the same piece now and have ideas to just glue cut pieces of wood front and back and overlay them to the screws already in place. Would like to see a video for that!
If only it were so easy. What appears here to be an extremely simple and quick solution is actually quite a nightmare in the case I am facing. I have already invested a good number of hours with no results yet. Part of this wasted time was spent considering each type of threshold and door sweep typically sold, also buying one which now must be returned. Actually none of the ones sold at Lowes are what I really need in this case. And part of the time was spent carefully examining both inside and outside to identify quite a number of problems to address. And then there were the few hours already spent watching many youtube videos here, none of which helps much. I believe the large old (worn and curved) threshold must be entirely removed, and of course this means repairing damage to the surrounding jamb, plus probably rebuilding underneath: an amalgam of mortar, treated wood, heavy duty adhesives, etc. Plus it means more structural work to add support below a new threshold where none exists now. The door opens inward, and this is also a big problem since brand new tile flooring is not straight and level in this area. I do a great many home repairs and renovations, and often watch plenty of videos to get clear views of what is normally entailed. What happens in almost every instance is that the particular job I am facing is, for various reasons, substantially more difficult than demonstrated in the videos. I am quite good with tools and handiwork, so usually get good results in the end. However, I may spend days solving a problem that the videos often present as quick and easy to do.
With warm air on the inside, cold air on the outside, when the warm and cold air collide, you get lots of condensation. When the outside temp drops to around zero (F), that condensation freezes the rubber door sweep fins to the threshold. How do you solve that problem? thanks
Mike, ours was never screwed in to begin with when they put our new door on. It wasn’t done that long ago. Anyway, it’s falling apart. Do you think we should call and have it replaced by them? We aren’t real handy. Ha
Problem I have is rain water gets in somewhere in the corners of my small garage door like one in this video, it must be getting in at the corners but everything is caulked the door seal strips look like new so can't figure it out was thinking put on different door sweep.
You can either fix the threshold (bottom of the frame) or go nuts installing the mechanical sweep like in the "this old house" video. Fix the threshold though seriously lol.
I Like the U shape but I bought the metal strip kind for my screen metal doors that swing outward. I'm trying to keep the water out when it rains or storm. Do I have to put them on the inside or since they swing out can they be placed on outside? Also one door has a gap Where the hinges are, can the hinges be Adjusted somehow ?
I've always just used screwdrivers for that. know they make specific tools for that lol. I would install the bottoms screws first, so It'll suck the sweep up into the door then secure the side screws.
Ron Buckingham I want to replace my old 80" ext. steel with a new door , however the new doors labeled 32" x*80" are in fact only 79" long. Is there a door sweep or any other way to remedy this problem without a high cost? Any with this would be greatly appreciated,and I am sure I'm not the only one who has run into this. Thanks
I have an attached garage.i put a pre-hung steeldoor between the garage and the rest of the house.We all hate that plate on the bottom of the door and want to remove it.That way no plate to go over.but need something to go on bottom of door to make up the difference and to keep out cold air ,bugs from crawing under.I eyeballed it and it looks like either 1 1/2 in to 1 3/8's will your product work for this problem?Please reply KEN
I'll need to adjust my sweep before tightening the screws, but should I caulk the ends closed? My doors have old sweeps, should I worry about filling the holes in the wood before applying my sweeps? One door's sweep has the screws on the exterior.
I have a threshold that the center has a gray rubber inlayed seal but there is a slight bit of light coming through can I add this or would that be to much to open and close door?
I would have trouble removing the door, I need to reinforce all openings on the door not only for weather but there is a chain smoker right next door (detached house) and the smell of the smoke is literally killing me. What can you suggest, if anything.
I have watched several videos on replacing a door sweep and they all have one thing in common. The doors are perfectly hung and everything is square and evenly gaped. Someone please make a video on installing a new sweep on a older door that is sagging or the threshold has settled to one side. In the real world nothing is straight and gaped evenly and not everyone has the time or money to make it so.
i have trouble removing the door. Only the middle hinge can be removed using your method. The other two hinges have a different shape and much thicker. What can I do?
My questions are How do you know the adjustment is correct installing the door sweep with door off ? If you caulk the bottom of door how are you going to adjust the door sweep ? What about settlement of the building in winter and in summer and in wet weather ? I suggest to not install this way instead install the correct way with door on and no caulking and no exstra screws on the bottom of the door sweep. The whole purpose of an adjustable door sweep is so you could adjust it up or down so your holes should be in the middle of the slites so you have adjustments up or down there should be instructions with the door sweep to install it correctly
I strongly discourage from using caulk on this project. First, he caulked the sweep to the door without checking to make sure it did not need adjusting. The screw holes on ones I have bought are actually slots which allow you to lift or lower the sweep as needed. Those slots are worthless if you caulk and screw the sweep into place. Second, Jeff is using what I consider to be a a disposable sweep. In 3 years or so, the fins of the sweep will begin failing and the sweep will need replacing again. If you've screwed from the bottom and caulked the sweep, it's going to take a lot longer to remove the old one next time.
Agreed...
What sort of sweep or threshold system would you recommend for a basement exterior door to keep water/snow out?
@@sl1237 probably a stiff rubber wiper that extends down past the threshold. do you open it outward or does it go inward?
@@CT_Taylor It's an inward swinging door.
Excellent points. I saw that same door sweep in the store and passed on it because I didn't want to be doing this again in a couple years. And when I saw him using the caulk I thought to myself: no I'm not going to do that. The screws will work just fine. Caulk is for weatherproofing or waterproofing not for adhesion.
Thank you! Your detailed instructions are clear for me, a single mom, can follow ❤
I have a tip for all Y'all you tubers. Always read the follow-up comments on these little do it yourself videos...most videos are good and get the job done, but the comments from others give the ins and outs that really help with your projects! Thank me later!
Truly agree
I'll thank you now!
😃
I do this every time. And to be honest I always end up doing what some of the comments are saying. It really pays off to read into them and watch a few videos
I just installed a "Duck Triple draft Seal" yesterday. You don't have to remove your door unless you want to repair some dry rot on the bottom of the door. The side with the larger lip goes on the inside, slip the end over the edge of the door. Then use a rubber mallet to bump it into place. Then you can adjust the height of the draft seal for the gap.
If you don’t remove the door, how can you tell if there are staples on the bottom that need to be removed? Thanks!
feel with fingers
@@dannymcneal
@@dannymcnealgood ole fashioned mirror
This is short sweet and simple. The tip to leave the door in place while removing the pins is essential!
Thanks!! Normally tubers don’t explain step by step but you did!! Thanks
I like this guy's style - he's very thorough. 👍
At first I didn't see the need to remove the door. Glad i watched. Reinforcing with glue and screws on the bottom is a good idea.
Being a do it yourself older lady, I can’t seem to find the right drill bit, (none of mine worked near as easy as yours..)..and the instructions did not say to put screws on the bottom of the door, but I had decided to do that anyway. Glad to see you do that....and caulking was a good idea as well.. thanks for your help.
Thank You Sir for the best information given us and to the world.
Great presentation with great visual details. very easy to follow. Thanks.
Thank you 🙏🏼
I have the same door sweep he used but before you install it, MAKE SURE the bottom of your door is level from end to end and not leaning. Don't just assume everything's all good. Otherwise when you install the door sweep and secure it with screws, you might find out you don't have the clearance from the floor and the bottom of the door. As you open and close the door, the rubber seal part will scrape more on one side than the other, especially if you have carpet.
Thanks for telling us about the U shaped door sweep. My one concern is you did not caulk the outside edge, or put in weep holes on the outside in case rain gets between the sweep and the door. Even with a metal door you don't want standing water on the bottom. But I added to my list and will be measuring my doo width!
Exactly this. It wil rub off the paint and expose the metal over time, and a little moisture will rust the door. Also as someone else mentioned, this is a temporary door sweep which will likely need replacing in 3 years anyway.
Yeah! I am having this problem whenever it rains hard and the wind blowing the water toward the door. I ended up with water leaking inside the house!
Things settle and move over the years too or sometimes even new doors are slightly askew and all doors dont have the exact same gap between the door and the threshold. Thats why they make these sweeps adjustable. You may have to adjust just a couple of screws once you have it installed to make it contact the threshold in just a certain spot. Happens all the time. How would you do this if its caulked and screwed from the bottom?
wish someone who has experienced this would comment with solution.
Very well 👍 done! I need this done with my front door. Thank you so much
Thank you! Good explanation
good vid good splaining!!
Don't take the door off the hinges for this, don't ever caulk and screw the bottom. Just open the door and slide the sweep on from the side. It's way easier to set the height of the sweep if you leave the door on the hinges.
Yeah, that's what I was thinking too. Doesn't seem like the small amount of benefit provided by the bottom screws and bead of caulk justifies the work and risk of removing and re-hanging the door. As a "careful noob" who hasn't screwed anything up yet, taking the front door of my house off the hinges freaks me out. My nightmare home improvement scenario involves having to call a pro to finish a job I started. I think I may rather just burn the house down than suffer that humiliation.
William Binns
Yeah this video is a good example of someone not knowing what they're doing and attempting to "over do" the job while they actually "under do" the job. There is no benefit to caulking and screwing the bottom. It is something you should specifically not do. It's just going to put holes for moisture to enter, and the screw heads will certainly rust to the point of being unusable when it comes time to replace the weatherstripping later. Hopefully he used cheap caulk and can pry the thing apart after he grinds the screws off, otherwise he'll be buying a new door in 10 years.
Putting a door back on is a pain in the ass.
I agree taking off the door is way too much work to just install a door sweep. It is just as easy to slide it on the side in mounted with a few screws for security. Really there's no need for caulking at all. And not all doors have that much space where you can slide that underneath.
@@williambinns1631 lol me too
You just installed that adjustable sweep to where it won't adjust by screwing it from the bottom. Instead, keep the door hung, slide the sweep on, close the door, and push the adjustable sweep down to contact the threshold to ensure a tight seal before screwing it to the door. Notice how he didn't put the camera on the floor to show us the huge gap he now has or the footage of him having to undo everything he just did to reinstall correctly.
Michael Hiers thanks for your feedback but there wasn't any issue with a huge gap. I showed it this way because sometimes it's very difficult to just slide the sweep onto the door. As such, I wanted people to see the complete tutorial :D
+Michael Hiers Thanks for the info Michael Hiers
I was thinking the exact same thing. don't think I've seen it done like this before.
+Michael Hiers You are so RIGHT Mike!!!! Thank you!
you are right, not all door are gapped the same hights. mine is higher on the back more open on the front. Push it down, open it a few times, check your line of site or seal, then drill holes.
Good Job! Thank you! There is more to this than I thought! Very helpful video! Thank you!
great job
Another great video Jeff. Thank you for your time and dedication to a great channel/website.
Thanks Ticky66MN
If replacing the door sweep on a cedar door, should the side facing the exterior be caulked as well to prevent water from collecting within the sides of the sweep and causing wood rot? The original sweep does not have the sides going up as high as the one shown in the video. It's been impossible to find the original sweep. Thanks for the great video. Look forward to your expertise.
+John Wen I've noticed that water pools in my sweep and directs it to the edges of the door, causing it to flow into the edge of the door frame and into the house, so yes the caulking must go on edge where the weather hits the door. I don't see any value in putting it on the bottom.
the problem that I see or don't see in this video and others like it is what does the seal look like on the exterior? Does it seal enough to wear water, dirt or other things won't fall into any gap and rot your door? I used this U-shaped one a few years ago on my front door. And while it was pretty good, I had to eventually run a piece of duct tape across the top of the exterior to prevent it from pulling away from the door, and to keep out any moisture. The original door sweep was bad, and had to be replaced. Thanks.
Thank you
Attachment holes are oval shaped for up and down movement to make adjustments. Driving screws underneath prevents this adjustment from being made. I guess you just lucked out that the gap was the same size as the sweep.
Thanks for posting this. This is just what I need to cover the gap at the bottom of my door. An added bonus is that it keeps bugs out during the summer months.
+Sonny Miller never thought of bugs!!! Good thinking
And snakes. Yup just had a baby King slip under last night!!
Shute Ranch Wow, snakes!? A Baby King Cobra? That's scary! This upgrade definitely keeps out much more than weather. Thanks for sharing.
+Shute Ranch what's up
Just to clarify, it was a King Snake...not a King Cobra!! I'd move if we had cobras here.
Thanks Jeff...have to replace mine today; I've got some wood rot on the bottom of mydoor so I'm anxious to see what I need to do. Great instructional video!
glad to help, hope your door isn't too far gone. Wood filler could be a good option
+Jeff Patterson Hi Jeff, I removed the door and the wood running 2/3 the length of the bottom of the door was rotted. I removed it but will need to fill it. Would wood filler be ok? Approx 20 x 1.5 inch space. I appreciate your help!
great video. Thanks!! Removing door is the hardest and heaviest.
Glad to help any time Debbie Riley - thanks for your kind words :D
Thank you!
you gave me the quickess idea I had to do as soon as I seen your video thank you
That looks clean
I tried that kind of door sweep. Within a few weeks, the flaps started tearing off a bit. The original that I replaced was a similar design, but attached to the bottom of the door via some channels/grooves in the bottom of the door. That one lasted a couple of years or so before wearing too much. I'm looking for a different kind at this point. I'm thinking something more tube-based rather than thin flap based.
These U channel sweeps are great, but they will also rot the bottom of your door over time. It's best to seal the outside facing edge of the sweep with caulk. This way rain water doesn't run down the door and settle in the channel.
Thanks Whothecapfits, appreciate your extra tips.
That's what happened with mine. I like the caulking on the outside. What is the best caulking to use?
Also the fins are too deep for my door and rub on the floor until they start tearing away.
Not sure what it’s called but the wood contact point for the sweep is adjustable on my exterior doors. It has screws that allow it to be raised and lowered to meet the sweep flush. All the comments saying that you shouldn’t screw it on are accurate only if there is no adjustable contact point. I would call it the threshold but it’s really just a strip of hard wood with screws so it’s part of the threshold but not THE threshold.
I suspect that the failure of my sweep(after 7years...) was due to the flexing of this contact point from moisture and temp variations.
thank you GREAT ideas, I am going to put a new on NOW. Thanks Again ,Glenn
Did you notice that the holes are elongated to make the sweep adjustable. This is done to allow for an uneven fit at the bottom & if you caulk & screw down the sill flush to the door bottom, you will no longer have this option available. On the other hand, if both door & frame are new & installed square, as long as the gasket at the bottom is long enough for the bottom gap, then there should be no problem.
I agree with the majority who advocate no screws on the bottom otherwise you cannot adjust the sweep up and down. I change my sweep with one like in the video each year and I never remove the door. I just slide it on and adjust the sweep to have slight pressure on the sill then tighten in place. Appreciate the video. It prompted others to let people how they do it. I’ll bet Jan does it his way because that is what has been successful for him in the past.
Thank you for the very simple explanation. Great job!
Good job and thanks for making this video while is cold. Stay warm my friend.
Cool Thanks I have a Tenant at my dads house that needed one adjusted i think i can also put a thick 1/4 in wood strip on the doorstep to make the sweem contact. Very helpful.
Great video! 👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽
Recently bought a house with this type of sweep on the man door or a garage. The water accumulated in the sweep which led to a lot of wood rot on the bottom and hinge side of the door. The water also ran out both sides of the sweep (presumably got into the sweep from water running down the door) and this led to rot on the wood jamb and deteriorated interior drywall at the bottom. I wouldn't recommend this type of sweep.
This sounds like what is happening to my front door. I'm not sure how estimate how much damage has been done to the wood jamb, or subfloor, though. Any ideas?
Thanks for this great video. You really simplified this for me !!
I have hard time concentrating, this guy is so cute, I really like his voice.
Yes he is 😆
Yup yup
Assuming that a door (or most doors) is made of or contains wood, how does the U-shaped door sweep protect the door from water and moisture infiltrating and causing mold growth? Does it? Should an caulk or sealer of some sort be applied to the top edges?
You could possibly seal it with caulk, but it’s better not to install that style and risk it.
Thanks jeff another great and easy tutorial=)
Thanks nzed caisido :D
Rom 2- o’clock
Awesome --- many thanks for showing us how to fix this!!!
thank you very much
No question, it's the best door seep!
Awesome Video! very professional and great information. Thank you!
+navyseabee0823 thanks 🙏
But
please do not screw the sweep to the bottom of the door and do not put caulk there. It defeats the whole purpose of having an adjustable sweep. The screw holes on the interior side of the sweep are elongated to make adjustment perfect for the threshold. Caulk and screws on the bottom won't allow for the custom fit.
+Steven Poetzl Your comment is important part of the installation. YES, you do need adjust a bit of the sweep!!!! Thank you Steve!
The commenters on this video are more informed than the video tutorial lol
Steven Poetzl
Gabe .
Many thanks for those tips
Hi, thanks for the video. What kind of caulk do you use to help adhere the sweep to the bottom of the door?
Very good I,m going to put one on my outside door Thank You
Good info
Not all sweeps are the same. Just this week I had 3 different situations. The U channel/ C Channel like this video, a duel fin rabbited style- that gets tapped in - with a piece of wood and a folded type Fin style. Before you get in too deep check the correct one to buy.
This type of sweep is pretty much universal and can be used to replace most any sweep
Thank you. I am sick of waiting for my husband to do this, I Am going to do it myself. But why remove the door? Can’t I just slide it on and put the screws onto the sides only? I haven’t seen them screwed from the bottom.
I find these door covers to be very tight--I tap them on with a small sledgehammer, but be careful not to tap too hard and crush the sweep.
Sharon Cullen Art Yes you can, and should.
MEN!!! ARGH
Thanks
thanks to share with us your knowledge buddy!
glad to help any time
This product and method will not weatherproof your doorway - rain water will still ingress under the door. You need a weather bar set into the threshold. This is usually set under the door - so a door sweep will not work. However, you could set one into the threshold so that the door closes against it. Hope this makes sense for people who have rain leaking in under the door.
Paintbox, can you explain? What is a weather bar? I have an 8' metal exterior with full glass (heavy) where the original weatherstrip is worn out and leaks. It gets direct rain. How best to repair this?
A "weather bar" or "water bar" appears to be the British English for what I would call a "drip cap" in many instances, although the poster is talking about one that embeds into the threshold, which I have also found examples of online. There are "flipper" types (what Americans would think of as drip caps) and "bubble" types (semi-circular rubber ones that resemble the kind that are usually under door bottoms in the US). Embedding it into the threshold seems like an interesting concept, except for the fact that it protrudes about a 1/2" or so above the threshold (though some seem to be made of flexible material). I would worry about tripping.
Additionally, If you do an image search for "Draught Excluder Weather Seal Door Weatherbar," you'll find an image of an impressive system of drip caps and door sweeps in one unit that surely will solve your problem. I'd like to find this in the US.
Absolutely true. I thought this product would keep the water out, but now that the rubber is tearing I have water intrusion under the door. I need another "workable" solution!
Love the details! Super great information thank you so much!
My door is 38 inches wide. All the door bottoms like this I can find, including from the link you provided, are only 36 inches. What to do?
Hey man this is a stupid question I'm about to ask, lol. What is the best way to measure for my threshold to bottom door clearance? I have a double wide mobile home and my front entry door, lower seal/sweep, looks like it has torn and a piece sticks out at the bottom when I open and shut the door.
Thanks man you just helped me save money!
Thanks for this video. I would have skipped 2-3 steps. Whew! Glad I watched.
1:30 - "Kind of like a tooth" lol, thank you for this video!
Excellent video, thanks for the help!!
Thanks! 👍
Nice thick caulk on the bottom of the door, got it
Good idea. My front wood door is short so I need to make it longer to adjust to the thresholder. Can I use the sweep to adjust the size of the door? Is that metal or plastic?
it's plastic and will add some height to the door
my exterior door sweep is made out of two pieces. The leaf blower landscapers blew the sweep off several times until the contact/hanging adjustable parts broke. can't find the same piece now and have ideas to just glue cut pieces of wood front and back and overlay them to the screws already in place. Would like to see a video for that!
Very informative. Thankyou!!
No it isn't. It is FULL of incorrect advise. Read the comments.
Good video .. I would have like to see you put back the door in place too .. Thanks 🙂
If only it were so easy. What appears here to be an extremely simple and quick solution is actually quite a nightmare in the case I am facing. I have already invested a good number of hours with no results yet. Part of this wasted time was spent considering each type of threshold and door sweep typically sold, also buying one which now must be returned. Actually none of the ones sold at Lowes are what I really need in this case. And part of the time was spent carefully examining both inside and outside to identify quite a number of problems to address. And then there were the few hours already spent watching many youtube videos here, none of which helps much. I believe the large old (worn and curved) threshold must be entirely removed, and of course this means repairing damage to the surrounding jamb, plus probably rebuilding underneath: an amalgam of mortar, treated wood, heavy duty adhesives, etc. Plus it means more structural work to add support below a new threshold where none exists now. The door opens inward, and this is also a big problem since brand new tile flooring is not straight and level in this area. I do a great many home repairs and renovations, and often watch plenty of videos to get clear views of what is normally entailed. What happens in almost every instance is that the particular job I am facing is, for various reasons, substantially more difficult than demonstrated in the videos. I am quite good with tools and handiwork, so usually get good results in the end. However, I may spend days solving a problem that the videos often present as quick and easy to do.
I can attest to that! It's extremely frustrating sometimes! As you stated that in the end the job is finished -efficient and correctly! :)
With warm air on the inside, cold air on the outside, when the warm and cold air collide, you get lots of condensation. When the outside temp drops to around zero (F), that condensation freezes the rubber door sweep fins to the threshold. How do you solve that problem? thanks
You don't have it installed correctly...
Thanks it looks like the best one for me!
My pleasure to help Alberta Sulik - let me know if you have any questions :D
The sweep you used is nice. But they and no one I know sells one the will fit my door which is fully 2 inches thick not 1.75
Mike, ours was never screwed in to begin with when they put our new door on. It wasn’t done that long ago. Anyway, it’s falling apart. Do you think we should call and have it replaced by them? We aren’t real handy. Ha
Can you get this on without removing the door?
Problem I have is rain water gets in somewhere in the corners of my small garage door like one in this video, it must be getting in at the corners but everything is caulked the door seal strips look like new so can't figure it out was thinking put on different door sweep.
Hey Jeff - what if the gap between the door and floor are not even. The hinge side is about 1/16 and the knob side is about 5/8? Thanks
You can either fix the threshold (bottom of the frame) or go nuts installing the mechanical sweep like in the "this old house" video.
Fix the threshold though seriously lol.
Sarah Glover As long as you DONT screw in the bottom of the door, you can adjust side to side using the slotted screw holes.
WOW, WOW, THANK YOU IS NOT ENOUGH !!!
My pleasure to help TONYKELLY LUSHEN
I Like the U shape but I bought the metal strip kind for my screen metal doors that swing outward. I'm trying to keep the water out when it rains or storm. Do I have to put them on the inside or since they swing out can they be placed on outside? Also one door has a gap Where the hinges are, can the hinges be Adjusted somehow ?
Thanks! I learned a lot from your video
+Joe Dez glad to help 👊🏻
is this garage insulated and heated ? only use stainless steel hardware outside just my high standards i guess
Where did you get this particular sweep? Having trouble finding a wrap-around.
I've always just used screwdrivers for that. know they make specific tools for that lol. I would install the bottoms screws first, so It'll suck the sweep up into the door then secure the side screws.
Ron Buckingham I want to replace my old 80" ext. steel with a new door , however the new doors labeled 32" x*80" are in fact only 79" long. Is there a door sweep or any other way to remedy this problem without a high cost? Any with this would be greatly appreciated,and I am sure I'm not the only one who has run into this. Thanks
I have an attached garage.i put a pre-hung steeldoor between the garage and the rest of the house.We all hate that plate on the bottom of the door and want to remove it.That way no plate to go over.but need something to go on bottom of door to make up the difference and to keep out cold air ,bugs from crawing under.I eyeballed it and it looks like either 1 1/2 in to 1 3/8's will your product work for this problem?Please reply KEN
I'll need to adjust my sweep before tightening the screws, but should I caulk the ends closed?
My doors have old sweeps, should I worry about filling the holes in the wood before applying my sweeps? One door's sweep has the screws on the exterior.
A lot of help thank you!!!
Olivia Sylver glad to help :D
I have a threshold that the center has a gray rubber inlayed seal but there is a slight bit of light coming through can I add this or would that be to much to open and close door?
I would have trouble removing the door, I need to reinforce all openings on the door not only for weather but there is a chain smoker right next door (detached house) and the smell of the smoke is literally killing me. What can you suggest, if anything.
Move
Very good, thank you!
I have watched several videos on replacing a door sweep and they all have one thing in common. The doors are perfectly hung and everything is square and evenly gaped. Someone please make a video on installing a new sweep on a older door that is sagging or the threshold has settled to one side.
In the real world nothing is straight and gaped evenly and not everyone has the time or money to make it so.
what about adjusting the hight of the sweep they don't all fit like that!
Excellent
What size drill bit do you use to drill piolet holes in the door for 1/4 screws?
i have trouble removing the door. Only the middle hinge can be removed using your method. The other two hinges have a different shape and much thicker. What can I do?
It will not allow air coming in ?? From where you buy it
My questions are
How do you know the adjustment is correct installing the door sweep with door off ?
If you caulk the bottom of door how are you going to adjust the door sweep ?
What about settlement of the building in winter and in summer and in wet weather ?
I suggest to not install this way instead install the correct way with door on and no caulking and no exstra screws on the bottom of the door sweep. The whole purpose of an adjustable door sweep is so you could adjust it up or down so your holes should be in the middle of the slites so you have adjustments up or down there should be instructions with the door sweep to install it correctly