When you are a homeowner, there are plenty of issues which often arise about your house which you need to fix.
One issue which is more common than a lot of people assume is gaps between the bottom of your door threshold. A common material underneath, will usually be cement.
This is an awkward issue to fix, and unfortunately is can cause plenty of issues. This can create a draft which is an obvious problem.
But it also means that your door threshold will lack structural integrity. This means it is more likely to break after repeated uses.
Yes, there are plenty of ways to fill the gap under your door threshold. But what works best for you will depend on circumstances we will cover!
Because of this, plenty of different methods you can use to try and work around this issue. These will work to varying degrees of success.
Some will work in certain situations, while others will not. Because of this, we have gathered our favorite methods for filling a gap under your door threshold and assessing when it will be useful.
So, if you are facing this issue, and are unsure how to fix it, keep reading to get our suggestions!
Best Options
There are plenty of reasons why this gap under your door threshold can develop. This could be whether it has been this way since installation.
Or it could have resulted from years of overuse and it has finally fallen out of alignment.
Whatever the reason, there are different ways you can fix this. We will assume throughout this guide that you have cement under the threshold.
Yet, most of these techniques will work with other materials as well!
Weatherstripping
One of the main issues you can have gaps in your threshold is that your weatherstripping could have gotten damaged.
Then this will lead to getting drafts and leaks. This means that one of the quickest ways to fix this issue with your threshold is to simply add new weatherstripping to your threshold.
There are plenty of different options when it comes to sealing materials that you can use. Some common choices are felt rolls, kerf weatherstripping, or some sticky foam tape.
You can also get rid of the old weatherstripping on your door and replace it with a new one. This is especially important if your weatherstripping is not the right size for the door.
Then it will not be able to do its job effectively. The best way to ensure that your weatherstripping lasts as long as possible is to make sure to clean it.
Do this using rubbing alcohol before you install it. This ensures nothing that can ruin the seal and make the weatherstripping fall off.
Fix Alignment
There is another reason that we mentioned in the introduction that might be causing issues with the gap under your threshold. This is because there might be alignment issues.
If your door is consistently getting jammed when you are opening or closing it, then it is likely that you have an issue with your alignment.
Because of this, you will have an uneven gap under the exterior of your door, and this will allow airflow to go through and even light as well.
There are plenty of different reasons why your door could be having this issue.
One of the main explanations is that the door is worn out, and this makes it sag. This will then fall out of the correct alignment. This is usually fixed by tightening the hinges on the door.
If this method does not work, then there is a chance that you will need to replace the screws with bigger ones. These will hold the door in the correct position better!
Door Sweeps
Similarly to weatherstripping, one of the best things you can do to fix the exterior gap under a door is to install door sweeps.
These will act pretty closely to a weatherstrip in how they will keep your internal air in and the external out. Only this time using bristled sweeps.
Yet, when installing door sweeps, you want to make sure you have the width of your door right.
The most common method of installing door sweeps is to simply use screws.
But make sure that you are following the instructions that you received with your door sweeps or to get help from a professional if needed!
Fix The Threshold
Sometimes if the issue is too pervasive, you might have to fix the whole threshold of the door. You can do this by installing a new threshold, or re-installing the old one.
Yet, only reuse the same one if you are sure the threshold itself is not causing the issues.
You want to make sure that any gaps are filled when you are installing the new threshold. So make sure that the threshold you are using is right for the job you are doing with it.
You can use mounting screws alongside pre-drilled holes to add more security to your threshold.
This can stop it from falling out of alignment again. Make sure that any gaps are sealed by using a gasket if needed.
Why To Fix The Threshold?
If you leave your door threshold in a poor condition this can have a lot of negative effects. This is something that you want to make sure to fix as soon as you can.
One of the main reasons is that cold air can enter your home easier. This can drive up your air conditioning cost trying to combat the irregular temperature.
It is also a lot easier for bugs to infest your house if this gap is open, and it also makes it a lot easier for noise to get in, so if you live in a loud area, this is worth acknowledging too!
Summary
Hopefully this guide has given you all the information you need on how you can fix the gap under your door threshold to ensure that you do not have to deal with any of the aforementioned negative effects.
Keep in mind that there are other methods out there, so if none of these work for you, this does not mean that you are out of option!
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