Sealing new exterior door hardware
88Clayton
| Posted in General Questions on
Should anything be done to minimize air leakage through door handles/knobs and deadbolt assemblies? Some kind of sealant caulk perhaps? I have a few new exterior doors and am about to put on the hardware soon.
Thanks!
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Replies
Some manufacturers offer gasket kits. If you need to make your own gasket, you can get sheets of thin closed cell foam (Amazon, etc) and cut gaskets with scissors. There are specialized gaskets for tricky parts of the door perimeter (sweeps for the bottom, etc), but usually weather stripping will do the job there.
There isn’t much you can do about a keyhole, and don’t be tempted to squirt any grease inside: you can mess up the mechanism. If you’re really worried about the tiny bit of air leakage there, some of the 3M 35 colored electrical tape can seal the keyhole temporarily and not leave goo behind if you remove it within a few months or so.
Bill
Thanks! I’ll look into these suggestions.