Due to the layout of French doors and the amount of glass that they feature, people often perceive French doors as not fit for tough weather. This is not true. When made well, fitted properly and taken care of, external French doors over high levels of weather proofing.
We do recommending checking your seals; you can do this by first removing any decorative items. Once you’ve done this, place a piece of paper under the door, close the door and then pull the paper out slowly. Check the amount of debris and liquid, this will help you establish the tightness of the seal. Then you need to use caulk to fill in any gaps. Caulk is very inexpensive and easy to use.
If you find that the problem is already too far along for caulk to fix, you may need to add some backer rod or weather stripping, or both, if the problem is severe enough. To fit the backer, you need to measure the length of the gap and cut a piece of the rod the same size as the gap. You can secure the rod with a line of caulk. You can then fully secure it at the edges with a little bit more of caulk. It doesn’t require you to be perfectly neat as you can cover up the patch with a decorative item.
If you want to use the weather stripping instead, it is even easier to apply. If you’ve used it before, you will need to remove the old stripping and replace it. Start from the bottom of your door, making sure the stripping sticks evenly to the corners of the door. When you get to the top, cut the excess tape and press the end of it into the corner and then remove the tape covering. Repeat the process for all of the other sides of the door, making your way to the top door jamb first, and then on the other side. Your French door should then be weatherproofed and ready to go. Using this method also means that you block any draughts that find their way through your doors.
If you have any other questions that remain unanswered within these frequently asked questions about external French doors, please feel free to contact us today and we’ll be happy to help.