The 10 Best Under Door Draft Stoppers
This wiki has been updated 32 times since it was first published in October of 2016. One of the quickest and easiest ways to save money on your utility bills is to stop hot air from leaking out of the house in winter while preventing cold air from entering, and the reverse in summer. That's where these under-door draft stoppers come in. They are offered in a variety of styles and sizes to work with any door and flooring material, so you can find one that matches your needs. When users buy our independently chosen editorial picks, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
1. Decorealm Guard
2. Suptikes Sweep Strip
3. Fox Valley Traders Efficient
Editor's Notes
October 14, 2020:
Maintaining the balance this list had between adhesive and non-attaching items was a priority during the latest update, as well as keeping choices around that are available in a range of sizes to suit myriad doorways, like the Magzo Heavy Duty, which has a double-length option for wider doors. That's also why we replaced the CloudBuyer 16-Foot with the D Datadago Sealing, which is remarkably similar, although a tad more durable and available in black as well as three lengths. If you frequently deal with dust storms or rain, it works relatively well as weather stripping and can be used in place of a door sweep. Many also note that though the adhesive is quite strong, it doesn't strip off paint.
The Simply Genius was not compelling enough to keep around when compared with the new Decorealm Guard, which is one of the few weighted options out there that also happens to be attractive and stylish. This one should suit a host of decors, and contains ceramic beads, which means there's no dusty residue or filling that can poke through. Speaking of dust, it was recorded as a pretty inconvenient issue with the Bandwagon Snake, which we replaced with the simple, yet effective, DeeTool Man Insulator. This is a lightweight option that can slide over many flooring types, even uneven ones, and can be repositioned and removed easily.
Finally, we brought on the Fox Valley Traders Efficient, which despite being a tad silly, is actually made exceptionally well, is sturdy enough to be a doorstop, and generously sized. When not in use, it works perfectly as an ornamental object on a couch, nook, or windowsill, and isn't so gaudy or outlandish in design that you couldn't integrate it into a subtly-decorated home.
April 30, 2019:
We've here kept both under-door draft stoppers that attach and those that do not, so there are options for renters and homeowners (as well as all types of doors). When it comes to those that are affixed to the door permanently, the Suptikes Sweep Strip and CloudBuyer 16-Foot are both fine options. Note that with these, as well as with any others that use adhesive, you might consider adding a few small nails for better longevity — especially if it's a door that is opened and closed regularly. As for draft blockers that do not attach, the Magzo Heavy Duty and The Maine Sales Company All Natural are ones to consider. The former features two practical handles, as well as Velcro for a tighter seal, while the latter has a heavy, pliable filling. There's also the Bandwagon Snake to consider, which is especially useful if your entryway will be exposed to water. And, unfortunately, we had to remove the Appleberry Attic and Monikas Marketplace Handmade, as they are not always easy to find. We also considered removing the Evelots Dog Lovers, since it has a tendency to roll forward, but many users love its design and find that this makes up for any quirkiness in use.
Special Honors
Vermont Country Store Balsam At three feet long to suit windows and doors, this handy snake from the Vermont Country Store is crafted using 100% percent cotton for the cover and fill. It's also stuffed with salvaged aromatic Maine balsam pine needles, which add a lovely, strong scent and extra heft to keep it in place. vermontcountrystore.com
Door Draft Stoppers on Etsy This is a category where it can be tough to find something that strikes a balance between effective and attractive, especially when many options come in basic solid colors to appeal to the masses. If you're looking for an item with a charming pattern, print, saying, or in a cute animal shape, there is likely a match for you on Etsy. Many can be personalized to order with initials, names, or favorite quotations. etsy.com
4. The Maine Sales Company All Natural
5. Magzo Heavy Duty
6. D Datadago Sealing
7. Evelots Dog Lovers
8. DeeTool Man Insulator
9. Evelots 3020-1
10. Twin Draft Guard Extreme
A Brief History Of Insulation
It had one big drawback, however, which is that all of those things are extremely flammable.
From the first time a caveman threw a saber-toothed tiger pelt on his cave floor, humans have been looking for ways to improve the comfort of their homes.
For early civilizations, this meant harnessing the power of mud. Both the ancient Egyptians and early Vikings made good use of wet dirt, with the Egyptians creating mud bricks to keep their homes cool, while their Nordic counterparts mixed it with straw to fill in the cracks in between the logs of their homes.
The Greeks discovered a form of insulation that not only kept their homes comfy, but also helped reduce the likelihood that it would go up in flames. They called this substance "inextinguishable," and their word for that was...you guessed it, asbestos.
Asbestos would remain popular for centuries to come, but it would truly experience a boom when the Industrial Revolution rolled around. Steam power was quite popular at this time, and as you might expect, steam is very hot. In order to improve safety, manufacturers would line pipes, turbines, and more with asbestos, which also had the benefit of conserving energy.
A new form of insulation was discovered quite by accident in the 1930s. A researcher named Dale Kleist was trying to form a vacuum seal between two glass blocks, only to discover that pressurized air turned some of the glass into thin, stringy fibers. Thinking quickly, he named it fiberglass, and it became one of the dominant forms of insulation for the following few decades.
Another variety, cellulose, became fashionable beginning in the 1950s. Cellulose is actually a fairly ancient technology, as it's essentially just a mass of paper, straw, or cotton — basically what the Vikings used. It had one big drawback, however, which is that all of those things are extremely flammable. Once manufacturers figured out how to add a flame retardant into the insulation, it immediately became commercially viable.
Originally developed by the military in the 1940s, polyurethane spray foam would be the next big thing in construction once the Reagan era rolled around. Its big advantage was that it could expand to fill in cracks and crevices, whereas earlier styles could only cover flat surfaces.
Today, with the green revolution and the increased focus on energy efficiency, properly insulating your home is one of the smartest and most cost-effective ways to save money and the planet. A poorly-insulated home lets all that expensive warmth out, causing you to use more energy to keep your home comfortable — and doors and windows are two of the biggest culprits when it comes to losing energy.
Regardless of how you choose to insulate your home, the important thing is that you do it. Your pocketbook (and the ozone layer) will thank you.
Benefits Of An Under-Door Draft Stopper
There are some little things in life that can have incredibly far-reaching impacts — think a pebble in your shoe, a virus in your bloodstream, or a hole in your parachute.
Under-door draft stoppers belong in this category, albeit in a far more beneficial way. It's amazing what a huge difference these small devices can make, but once you see the change in your utility bill, you'll be a believer.
Under-door draft stoppers belong in this category, albeit in a far more beneficial way.
That, of course, is one of the main areas in which they make a difference. By keeping your treated air inside the home, you'll need to run your heater or air conditioner less — and that means you'll consume less electricity. In some places with high energy costs (looking at you, Hawaii), those savings can be quite considerable indeed.
Another benefit of using less juice is the fact that creating electricity is extremely bad for the environment, so any reduction in consumption equals less damage to Mother Nature.
The great thing about under-door draft stoppers is that they don't require you to sacrifice comfort. You can still enjoy your home at a reasonable temperature — it will just take less energy to get it there. A massive amount of energy loss can happen via your doors and windows, so filling in those gaps will have an immediate, noticeable impact.
Think of it as plugging a leak in your boat, except instead of water coming in, money's going out. Your money. Lots and lots of it. An entire ocean of cash.
Kinda makes you want to plug the leak, doesn't it?
Other Ways To Improve Your Home's Efficiency
If you're truly committed to lowering your carbon footprint and reducing energy costs, there are quite a few steps you can take to make your house more energy-efficient.
Taking a look at your insulation is the obvious first step. Make sure the attic and basement are well-insulated, replace windows, and, of course, invest in a few draft stoppers. These home improvements can pay for themselves several times over, so don't dilly-dally.
Make sure everything you own is Energy Star-certified, and consider upgrading to greener options where applicable.
Don't forget your roof, either. Obviously, installing solar panels can pay big dividends over time, but there are also other cool-roof options. These include tile, shingles, or even installing a few skylights.
You should think about your garden situation, as well. Planting trees around your home is a great way to make it cooler without running the AC, while bushes around the walls can serve as a first line of defense against outside air.
Appliances can also be huge energy vampires. Make sure everything you own is Energy Star-certified, and consider upgrading to greener options where applicable. For example, tankless water heaters are both more convenient and better for the planet, as they produce hot water on demand, thereby reducing waste.
Being environmentally-conscious doesn't have to be a drag. With a few smart home upgrades, you can be both more Earth-friendly and more comfortable — and you won't have to pay all those expensive medical bills every time you have a heart attack from opening your electric bill, either.
Born in Arizona, Gia is a writer and autodidact who fled the heat of the desert for California, where she enjoys drinking beer, overanalyzing the minutiae of life, and channeling Rick Steves. After arriving in Los Angeles a decade ago, she quickly nabbed a copywriting job at a major clothing company and derived years of editing and proofreading experience from her tenure there, all while sharpening her skills further with myriad freelance projects. In her spare time, she teaches herself French and Italian, has earned an ESL teaching certificate, traveled extensively throughout Europe and the United States, and unashamedly devours television shows and books. The result of these pursuits is expertise in fashion, travel, beauty, literature, textbooks, and pop culture, in addition to whatever obsession consumes her next.