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Weatherseal 101 Overview

Weatherseal or weatherstripping is used to seal leaks that allow too much airflow in your home. While a certain amount of airflow is good for your home, leaks can:

Weatherstripping comes in many varieties but the most common are made of foam, plastic, rubber or vinyl. Some weatherstripping comes in a roll and is made of woven fibers and others are a single piece of molded material that is shaped specifically to make a superior seal on your doors and windows.

The Sealmax Advantage

Superior draft protection

While there are many kinds of weatherstripping not all are created equal. Sealmax polyethylene foam is the very best weatherseal you can use on your windows and doors. With the lowest air filtration performance of all weather seals now on the market, you save energy by eliminating drafty windows during heating season and air conditioning air inside when cooling.

Tough and Easy

Sealmax Pro-Lon foam is effective in almost any climate, weather or traffic conditions you can throw at it. It has been specifically formulated to:

Even though Sealmax Pro-Lon foam is the toughest weather seal available, it still compresses very easily, meaning your doors and windows aren't hard to open and close but still provide the best seal.

It Lasts – Guaranteed

Sealmax is known across the industry its durability. A Sealmax seal can be compressed time and again and will lose very little height. This means you can be sure it will continue to seal for the life of your door or window. In fact we believe in our product so strongly that we provide a guarantee for the life of your window or door.

Choosing the Right Product

Weatherstripping is particularly good for moving joints, such as windows or doors, because it is made to withstand the friction of frequent opening and closing. You need to choose a weatherstripping product that will withstand the friction, weather, temperature changes, and wear and tear associated with its location.

For example, a product for the bottom of your door or threshold could drag on carpet or erode as a result of foot traffic, and weatherstripping on windows needs to allow easy opening but at the same time make an effective seal.

Types of Weatherstripping

The type of weatherstripping you choose will depend on a number of factors, including cost, where it will be applied, and how comfortable you are with home improvement projects. Felt tends to be the least expensive type of weatherstripping, however it is susceptible to weather and not as efficient at blocking airflow as other types.

Woven Pile weatherstripping is made of closely woven textile yarns interlaced into a backing. Plastic extrusion weatherstripping is typically shaped to bridge a gap. The shape of the material creates a seal by pressing against the sides of a crack or gap to block drafts. Urethane foam is soft light-weight foam that compresses well and recovers quickly, which in weatherstripping means it has enhanced sealing performance.

Each of these materials provides great value in weatherstripping as they hold up well, even in high traffic areas and are very effective for blocking dust, light, noise and air.

To learn more about weatherstripping, check out our FAQ section and glossary.

Application

Weatherstripping is generally very simple to apply and can be done by a majority of homeowners.

Here are a few tips which will make your next project go even smoother:

To see how weatherstripping is applied, go to our video library and watch one of our How-To videos.