Plugging the Leak
The gap underneath your front door may be acting as an inadvertent escape route for cool air during the summer and warm air during the winter. At the same time, it can allow hot or frigid outside air to seep inside, reducing the effectiveness of your air-conditioning and heating systems.
It doesn’t take much of a gap to create this problem. According to Mr. Handyman, a 1/8-inch gap can produce the same amount of energy waste as drilling a 3-inch hole straight through the wall. That means your HVAC system has to work harder to keep your home comfortable, leading to higher energy bills.
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To solve this problem, you need to create a literal stopgap. The cleanest and most stylish solution is a draft stopper, which slides under the door to fill the gap. Alternatively, rolled-up towels or thick blankets can provide effective insulation, though they’re not quite as tidy (and you’ll have to move them every time you open the door). Another method is weatherstripping your front door. Doing this, combined with sealing other gaps around your home, could save you as much as 20% on monthly energy costs, according to estimates from the U.S. Department of Energy.
It’s a good idea to also plug gaps beneath interior doors, especially if you’re struggling to maintain the temperature in a particular room. Let’s say you’re trying to cool the living room, but cold air keeps escaping under a nearby bathroom door. Simply slide a draft stopper underneath that door, and you may be able to keep the living room cooler without making the AC work any harder than necessary.
