cutting diagram 3-ft bookcase

Upper sash may be
painted shut.
Set all the strips,
like this one at
the bottom of the
lower sash, with the
open side of the "ll"
poirting to the outside.
Strips for the inner sash stop
halfway up. To fit the upper
sash, pull it down. Bend both
strips open for a tigltt fit.
Insld edge
of upper
Placing a strip along the inner
edge of the base of the upper
sash makes a big difference.
This is a common leak location.
Stop Drafts by Sealing
Around Doors and Windows
That cool breeze in the air is a sure sign winter's
coming.And if your house is like most, some of
that chill is making its way inside.That's because
every house - old or new - h full ofnooks
and crannies where air can leak in or out. So
now's the time to seal up the leaks. But with all
those nooks and crannies. where should you start?
A 20% SOrtmoN
Most experts agree that one of the most time- and
cost-effective things a homeowner can do is
weatherstrip around doors and windows. Gaps
around them account for about 20o/o of atr leakage.
Adhesive-backed foam and vinyl are tempting
since they are cheap and quick to install,
but they wear quickly. For a permanent fix, I
prefer spring-metal "V" strips made of bronze.
This stuff has been around for years, and it lasts
for years, too. In my area, a I7-foot roll (easily
enough for one window) costs less than $6.
The way the strips work is sin-rple.They get
nailed into the door or window frame, with the
open edge of the "V" pointirrg toward the
outside (see the drawings at left).The bronze is
flexible, so when the window or door closes
against it, the sides of the "V" push out to fill the
gap, stopping air from coming through.
Check for laps between
_door and frame._
FTN]
|"llI'fl
L_lll L-_lt
F t,
lt
Replace the thrcshold
seal if it's worn, or add
a new threshold.
Skipping hinges and strike
plates lets some air in, but
allows access for rcpairc.
ll *.,.,,,"
ffiIono'rtion of
threshold
Cut "V" strlp
aroundoor
hlnges.
Mount door
sweep on
inslde face
of door.
The base of an exlerior door
is a big source of air leakage.
But a simple sweep (around
$5-$101 will stop most of it.
SEALIITG WINDOWS
Before applying the strips, lightly sand dowr.r any
bumps or rough spots in the window tracks.This
helps the strips sit flat.
As shown in the top drawing, the strips don't
need to extend the full length of the frame.Just
cut two strips the sar.ne length as the sash height.
Then raise the lower sash as high as possible and
push the strips into place. Now nail down the
strips and gently pry the "V" open. Also place a
strip on the bottom of the lower sash.
Provided that the upper sash isn't painted
closed, put strips along its sides as well. One strip
between upper and lower sash completes the job.
AROUND IHE INOR
Adding "V" strip around a door is even easier.Just
cut lengths to fit along the sides and top of the
door, skipping over the hinges and strike plates.
At the bottom of the door check the condition
of the threshold seal (or,ver left).You can pick up a
new seal for around $3, then just slip it in place. If
your threshold doesnt have a seal, consider covering
it with an adjustable replacement threshold. In
either case, a sweep (near left) also helps.
32
woRKBENcH tr NovEMBEll I
DECEMBER 2000