When it’s freezing outside, what is the first thing you want to do? Don’t you want to get inside your warm home as quickly as possible? Here are some easy ways to seal off drafts to keep your home warm throughout the winter.
- Windows: Secure the sash locks along all of the windows in your home to clamp them down as much as possible. Another way to seal windows is by caulking.
- Exterior Doors: Install a door sweep along exterior doors in order to help keep cold air from entering your home.
- Curtains: Put up extra thick curtain. Consider buying ones that have thermal lining for extra insulation.
- Weather stripping: Seal gaps between doors and side jambs with long pieces of weather stripping.
- Chimney: Invest in a chimney balloon if you have a fireplace that you don’t use often. They don’t cost much and will definitely help you with preventing cold air from coming into your home. They also prevent warm air from escaping. Be sure to remove them before you build your next fire.
- Interior rooms: Close the doors on unused or rarely used rooms.
- Floors: Throw a rug on bare floors. By doing this, you can prevent as much as 10% of a heat from escaping your home.
- Cracks: Squirt some silicon-based filler between any cracks or gaps in your flooring.
- Insulation: Insulate attics and lofts with foam insulation. This is very affordable and is a great way to keep your pipes from freezing. If you prefer to do this yourself, be sure to wear protective gear such as a facemask, goggles, and protective clothing.
- Air Conditioning: Place plastic covers over air conditioning ducts.
- Vents: Check to make sure there are flaps over clothes dryer and bathroom fan vents. Without them, you are leaving a significant hole that is constantly allowing cold air to enter your home. Also, when you are looking over your dryer, check to see if any lint is trapped. Remove it. Lint has the potential to cause fires.
- Exterior walls: Put up pictures or a mirror on exterior walls. Doing this can help insulate walls from any outside air.