LESLIE: Renee in North Carolina needs some help weatherproofing. What can we do for you?
RENEE: I just recently moved into a brand-new apartment complex. So, the windows are pretty good windows but what I’ve found is that it is freezing in here now that the temperature has dropped. So I’m looking for suggestions on how to put up temporary fixes to the windows leaking air in. And also the sliding door. I have a big, sliding-glass door that I’m not sure how to weatherproof that.
TOM: Alright. Renee, first of all, as far as the windows are concerned, one of the things you might want to look into is weatherstripping caulk. There’s a certain type of weatherstripping caulk that’s designed to be removable. And one of the products is called Seal ‘N Peel with the letter N – Seal ‘N Peel. It’s by Red Devil or DAP. Both manufacturers have a version of this.
And the way it works is you essentially can caulk the windows shut. So you can caulk around all those gaps. And then in the spring, you can grab the caulk bead and peel it off. And it comes off like a piece of rubber.
LESLIE: Just make sure you leave one window unclosed, unsealed because – just in case you need it for an egress in the event of an emergency. Because it comes out but it just doesn’t come out that fast.
TOM: Now, as far as the door is concerned, I would just use shrink film for that. So the shrink film – basically, you put a two-sided adhesive tape around the door and then you attach the film to that. And then you take a hair dryer and warm the film and it shrinks and gets nice and taut and crystal-clear.
RENEE: OK. So the film would actually prevent the door – the sliding-glass door – from opening?
TOM: Correct. You would not be able to use that door in the winter, mm-hmm.
RENEE: OK.
TOM: I mean if you have to be able to use it, then you’d just have to use weatherstripping. But it’s probably not going to be as effective.
RENEE: OK. Well, this has been very helpful. I’ve just been afraid to put up anything that was going to destroy the window or the paint.
TOM: I know. You want to get that security deposit back, eventually, right?
RENEE: Definitely. Or not pay more.
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