Average Customer Review:
 ( 5 customer reviews )
Write an online review and share your thoughts with other customers.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
22 of 23 found the following review helpful:
Amazon needs to provide more info...and here are some tips.Sep 02, 2010
By Carlgo
I've bought this stuff here and there over the years, but it is tough to buy from Amazon because they treat it as a one-fits-all product and it isn't. Look around your doors and windows and check out the gaps. All different, right? From zero to way too wide, especially in older houses with wooden windows and doors. In the box stores the labels tell you the gap it is designed for, and there are different thicknesses available.
So, that info should be available here, and the different thicknesses clearly spelled out. Not the biggest problem in the history of the world, but necessary to avoid maybe wasting almost $10.
Tips, from a guy who actually has a certificate for doing this work, filed away someplace, and has done a lot of it at his old and previously quite funky house:
1. Check the gaps you are going to work on before you order. See if a particular window or door gap, or lack of one, could be modified. If there is no gap, then the weatherstrip will keep it from closing. Sometimes they are also crooked, with a bigger gap at the bottom than at the top and so on. You may want to remove the wooden door stop strips and do them over. Lumber yards sell the strips already milled, so that is easy. Besides, these strips are usually all messed up and it all looks better when you are done, for not too much money.
2. With new stops, cut them to fit, check that, then put the weatherstrip onto the correct edge, then press the strip up to the closed door and nail in place. Perfect fit and seal, and not too hard to close the door or window. The strip at the hinge side of the door should be adhered to the door jamb, not that stop strip. Otherwise, the insulation will be stripped off as the door closes. Just look at it and work the door-you will see that the gap there needs to be correct for the door to close at all anyway.
3. When you apply the insulation, just pull off a little of the protective tape as you go. Do not stretch it as you stick it one or it will simply shorten up and come loose and make for gaps at the ends. Don't stretch it even a little!
4. There are a lot of different bottom insulators, the most common being the aluminum ones that have a little rain drip lip and a rubber gasket that slides over the usually wooden threshold plate, which is raised so that the bottom of the door will not touch the flooring or carpeting. These work quite well, but aren't always that easy to install unless you are replacing an existing one.
Often, the bottom of the door is too close to the plate, so there isn't room for the seal. You have to cut off the bottom of the door, and cut off just the right amount or you will be very, very unhappy. This takes strength and tools. Then, the universal fit aluminum part usually has to be cut so that the ends clear the stop strips when the door is closed. Some people cut the bottom of the stop to clear the aluminum, but that isn't often the most elegant solution. In any case, you need a hacksaw to cut the sealing strip to length and also to modify it if necessary. Don't pull and stretch out the vinyl bottom seal. It will just retract in time and create gaps. They tend to slide out of the end of the aluminum retainer, so put on a dab of rubber cement or simple smack in inconspicuous place on the retainer to pinch it in place.
Once you get this all figured out, you slide the unit under the door, then close the door and pre-drill the mounting holes near the bottom of the slot, so that you can adjust the strip down a bit as you tighten the screws.
Hopefully, there was a bottom seal already and you can simply replace the bottom vinyl part.
Anyway, this is one reason I never pursued the life of an insulator. You can't charge enough, you need a helper, some of these doors and windows cost a fortune and there is a great deal of sawing and removing trim and all. Might as well be a contractor. People were just so nervous and sometimes wanted magical cheap solutions.
You really don't want to live in a thermos jar, with absolutely no air exchange. There are devices that heat up incoming air with the heat from the vented air exiting past them. That way your insulation and weatherstripping efforts really get used to the max and you have nice fresh air coming in and disgusting odors going out. If your house is really tight, you should look into one of these.
Quite a review from a guy who didn't even buy the product here, but hope it helps a few people. Rated it four stars because the product is very good, an excellent and tidy weatherstripping product that seems to last forever. Looks far better than those foam products, although they do work better on really tight gaps, and a thin strip on the stop strip hardly shows, doesn't have that messed-up, add-on look. I suggest the dark colors, even with a white or light colored jamb. The dark kind of disappears and doesn't show the dirt.
2 of 2 found the following review helpful:
 Typical sealsJul 06, 2010
By A. Beckstedt
I bought these seals to seal up access panels and doors in my house. Their pretty typical and not much to talk about. Adhesive could be stronger but once some pressure is applied for a while they'll stay in place
Did the trick!Apr 21, 2012
By Deb
After buying two different types of weather stripping from the local Home Depot, we finally got this from Amazon. We used rubbing alcohol to prep the area so we got good adhesion when installing. It is an air-tight seal. The only 'downside' is that we have to pull pretty hard on the door to open it initially, if the door has been shut for a long time (I actually thought the door was locked the first time).
 Great for the ground....:(Feb 02, 2012
By Honest _rian
Not sure what happened with the product....but the one we received the adhesive on the strip was already coming off. I tried to make it work but a few days later it just fell off when the door was opened.
3 of 5 found the following review helpful:
WeatherJul 01, 2008
By Peter Hutchins
It does what it is supposed to do. I am using it to cut down on my electric bill due to a poorly insulated apartment.
|
based on 5 reviews
Atmosphere Solutions, LLC