Fall Weatherproofing Checklist — Winterize the House Before Snow
The furnace ran all last winter and the floors were still cold. Here is the list of small gaps that add up to a drafty house, and the one visit that closes them.
Our fall weatherproofing checklist is one visit that closes the gaps a Minnesota winter finds: new door sweeps and weatherstripping, an insulated box over the attic hatch, foam at the rim joist, fresh caulk at exterior trim, storm doors adjusted or installed, and bath fan and dryer dampers that actually close. JMB Builders does it as a package across the Twin Cities metro, priced per project, quoted from photos within one business day.
- Priced per project, one visit for the whole list
- Doors, hatch, rim joist, caulk and storm doors
- Quote from photos in 1 business day
- Licensed MN contractor BC809005
A drafty house is rarely one big hole. It is a door sweep worn to a strip of felt, a gap under the attic hatch, a rim joist with nothing but a fiberglass batt shoved against it, caulk that opened up at every window, and a bath fan damper stuck half open. Each one is small. Together they move a lot of air, and the furnace pays for it from November to March.
Most of these are a half-hour fix each with the right parts on the truck. The trouble is nobody does them, because no single one is worth a service call. So we bundle them. One visit, one quote, the whole list, done before the first hard freeze.
JMB Builders runs this package across the Twin Cities metro from September into November. Send photos of your exterior doors, the attic hatch and the basement rim, and we quote the list within one business day. If the attic itself is thin, the ice dam prevention checklist is the bigger job, and the two can be scheduled together.
What you supply
- Photos: the bottom of each exterior door from inside, the attic hatch, the basement rim joist, and any window that whistles
- A note on which rooms are coldest and which doors you feel air at
- Storm doors if you are buying them; we tell you the size and hand from a photo
- Access to the basement rim: a foot of clearance along the outside walls
- Paint for any new exterior caulk lines or trim — painting is quoted as a separate line, or paint it yourself
What JMB supplies
- New sweeps and kerf or surface-mount weatherstripping on every exterior door, adjusted to seal
- Threshold adjustment or replacement where the sweep cannot reach it
- A foam-board box with weatherstrip over the attic hatch, or a built cover over pull-down stairs
- Rim joist air sealing and insulation: cut foam board sealed at the edges, or closed-cell spray foam
- Old caulk cut out and new exterior sealant at trim, siding joints, and pipe and wire penetrations
- Storm doors installed or adjusted so the closer and latch work in the cold
- Bath fan and dryer vent dampers cleaned or replaced so they close, and foam covers on hose bibs
- Sash locks tightened and interior window weatherstrip where a window whistles
- Photos of each item done in your job folder
How it is priced: per project
Quoted in writing from your photos within one business day. What moves the number:
- Number of exterior doors, and whether the sweep is a simple swap or the threshold has to come out
- Hatch vs. pull-down stairs: a built cover takes longer than a foam box
- Rim joist length and access: a finished basement limits what can be reached
- Foam board vs. spray foam at the rim, and whether old batts have to come out first
- How much caulk has failed: a few joints or every window on the house
- Storm doors: adjusting the ones you have vs. installing new ones you bought
- Bath fan or dryer vent caps that are broken and need replacing, not just cleaning
Send a photo of the bottom of each exterior door from inside with the lights off in the room; daylight under the door tells us what sweep it needs.
How long it takes
A typical house with three exterior doors, a hatch and an open rim joist: one day. Add a half day for a long rim joist in spray foam or several storm doors. Book by mid-October to be done before the ground freezes.
How your project works
- 1
Send photos, get a written quote
Send three photos of the space and a sentence about what you want. You get a clear, itemized quote within one business day. We only come out to measure first when the job needs a tape measure — no pressure, no games.
- 2
Pick materials, or bring your own
We help you choose profiles and materials that fit the house and the budget, or match your existing millwork exactly — or you buy the door or trim yourself and we install it. Everything is confirmed before the crew is scheduled.
- 3
Clean, precise installation
The crew shows up on time, protects floors and furniture, and installs with tight joints and consistent reveals. Photos of the finished work go in your job folder.
- 4
Walkthrough and invoice
We walk the finished work with you. If anything is not right, we fix it before we call the job done. Then one invoice, paid by check or direct deposit — no card fees, no payment links.
Situations and options
Door sweeps and weatherstripping
The sweep at the bottom and the weatherstrip around the jamb are the first things to wear out on an exterior door. We replace both, adjust the strike so the door pulls tight, and reset the threshold height if the sweep still does not touch. Daylight around a closed door is the test.
Attic hatch and pull-down stairs
The hatch is a thin panel over the warmest part of the house with no seal around it. A foam-board box with weatherstrip on the lip seals it from above. Pull-down stairs get a built, insulated cover that lifts off when you need the ladder.
Rim joist
The band of framing at the top of the basement wall leaks air at every joist bay and at the sill plate. Fiberglass batts there collect moisture and do little. Foam board cut to each bay and sealed at the edges, or a lift of closed-cell spray foam, stops the air and insulates at the same time.
Exterior caulk
Where trim meets siding, at the sill of every window, around the hose bib, the dryer vent, the electrical mast and the cable entry. Failed caulk gets cut out, not covered. New sealant is run in weather warm enough for it to cure, which is why this is a fall job and not a December one.
Storm doors
A storm door adds a second air seal and protects the entry door. We install the one you bought or adjust the one you have: closer speed, latch alignment, the sweep at the bottom, and the glass panel swapped in for the screen.
Fans, vents and hose bibs
A bath fan or dryer vent damper stuck open is a hole to the outside. We clean or replace the damper and the cap. Hose bibs get a foam cover; shutting off the inside valve and draining the line is on your list, and a frost-free bib that leaks is a plumber's job.
Windows that whistle
Old double-hungs leak at the meeting rail and the jamb. Tightening the sash lock pulls the rails together; a strip of weatherstrip at the jamb and a rope caulk bead at the sash stop the whistle. Replacement windows are a different job; this is the fix that gets you through the winter.
Fall Weatherproofing Checklist — Winterize the House Before Snow: questions, answered
How do I winterize a house in Minnesota?
Close the air gaps before you add anything else. Replace worn door sweeps and weatherstripping, put an insulated box over the attic hatch, seal and insulate the rim joist in the basement, cut out failed exterior caulk and rerun it, make sure bath fan and dryer dampers close, cover the hose bibs, and get storm doors on and adjusted. Then, if the attic is thin, air-seal and insulate it. Do the outside caulk while it is still warm enough to cure.
What is included in the fall weatherproofing package?
Sweeps and weatherstrip on every exterior door, an insulated cover over the attic hatch or pull-down stairs, rim joist foam, exterior caulk at trim and penetrations, storm door install or adjustment, fan and vent damper service, hose bib covers, and weatherstrip on any window that whistles. Each item is a line on the quote, so you can drop the ones you do not need.
Where does the most heat leak out of a house?
The top and the bottom: the attic hatch and attic floor, and the rim joist at the top of the basement wall. Warm air rises out through the attic and pulls cold air in at the rim to replace it. Doors and windows are what you feel because you stand next to them, but the attic and rim move more air. This package handles the hatch and the rim; a thin attic is its own job.
Is it worth replacing the door sweep and weatherstripping?
Yes, and it is the cheapest item on the list. A sweep worn down to the backing or a weatherstrip that has gone hard lets air run around the whole door. New parts and a strike adjustment make the door pull tight and stop the draft on the floor. If the threshold is rotted or the jamb bottom is soft, that gets found and quoted at the same time.
Should I insulate the rim joist with fiberglass?
No. Fiberglass stuffed into the rim bays does not stop air, and warm inside air reaching the cold rim condenses in it. Foam board cut to each bay and sealed at the edges with spray foam, or closed-cell spray foam applied to the rim directly, stops the air and insulates. Existing batts come out first.
When should fall weatherproofing be done?
September through October is best. Exterior caulk needs mild temperatures to cure, the rim joist is easier to work before it is cold, and storm doors get adjusted before the closer stiffens up. It can run into November, but the caulk line drops off the list once nights are freezing.
Get a written quote for this job
Three photos and a sentence is enough. You hear back within one business day. Or text the photos to 763-204-2099.
Related jobs we do
Door Sweep Replacement & Exterior Door Weatherstripping
Daylight under the door, frost on the inside of the jamb, a rug that moves when the wind blows. The seal is shot, or the door is. We figure out which and fix it.
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Frost on the hatch, a cold spot in the hall ceiling, a strip of bare roof above it in a snowfall: the attic access is an uninsulated hole in an insulated ceiling, and a box fixes it in an afternoon.
Read moreRim Joist Insulation — Foam Board and Spray Foam at the Basement Rim
The rim joist is the leakiest foot of wall in the house and the fiberglass stuffed in it does nothing. Foam it right and the kitchen floor stops being cold in January.
Read moreStorm Door Installation, Labor Only — You Buy the Storm Door
The storm door is in the box in the garage. The instructions are 40 pages. We mount it plumb on your brickmould, set the closer, and make it latch on the first try.
Read moreIce Dam Prevention Checklist — Stop Ice Dams Before Winter
You had ice dams last winter and do not want them again. Here is what causes them, what to check in the attic and at the eave, and what we fix before the snow flies.
Read moreAttic Insulation Blown In — Air Sealed First, Then Filled
Ice dams, a furnace that never shuts off, a bedroom that is cold at the ceiling: the attic is the first place to look and the best payback in the house when the air sealing is done before the fluff.
Read morePage reviewed September 24, 2026 · JMB Builders LLC, MN license BC809005 · All insulation pages
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