Learn About Rubber Weather Stripping For Home And Auto

By Marci Nielsen


As people keep their cars longer and get their homes ready for winter, they need to know how to renew seals around doors and windows that may have degraded over the years. Rubber weather stripping for both house and auto are just what the handyman ordered to keep the elements out of your personal space. Different products designed to keep wind, water, snow, dust, and noise out are available for you to 'do it yourself'.

In cold places like Middletown, NY, people know better than to let cracks around residential windows and doors raise their energy costs. In the old days, people used to put up with drafts and sometimes wake up with snow drifts on the bedroom floor. Now, thank goodness, there are many ways to keep the elements outside where they belong.

Cars have weatherstripping, too. If the windows whistle as you drive along, you get water inside the car during an automatic car wash, or stuff in your trunk gets rained on, you have a problem. A sunroof is great, but eventually you may feel rain dripping on your head.

Although factory seals usually last for years, they can be degraded if your car sits outside in both heat and cold. If you get a new paint job, your car might look great but your sunroof might not work as well. Cleaning chemicals can damage the seals around doors and windows.

For the home, there are rubber foam strips that come in various widths and thicknesses. This kind of protection is sold in rolls and has adhesive on one side. All you have to do is cut it to fit and press it into place around and under doors and anywhere else that cold air can get in. It's easy to remove for the summer, although those with air conditioning might need it year-round.

For your car, you order specific stripping just like any other car part. Even when ordering online, you'll need make and model information for your automobile. Even though this should get you the exact type you need, how-to sites advise closely comparing it with what is already on your car. Be certain they match before removing the old and installing the new.

When manufacturers advertise 'rubber' strips or foam, they're probably not talking about the rubber that comes from trees in South America. The more modern material has a mineral base rather than the carbon one that plant-derived materials have. Silicone rubber is supposed to be more durable, withstand high temperatures better, and be more chemical resistant than the old-fashioned kind.

Keep dust, rain, snow, and noise out of your car and your home by making sure the seals around windshields, trunks, doors, and windows are tight. Check out the how-to sites and videos online for detailed instructions on keeping your personal spaces comfortable year round.




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