If you live in a character-filled yet drafty home, know that there are some things you can do to make things less chilly and safe a couple dollars on your energy bill.

An added bonus is that these fixes will keep you warmer in cooler seasons and cooler once the warm weather hits.

While these fixes are small, they are inexpensive and really do make a difference.

Common Places for Drafts

You probably already know that drafts are notorious for blowing cold air through gaps around doors and windows.

Here are some other ways cold drafts find their way inside your home:

  • Poorly insulated spaces
  • Gaps in flooring or baseboards (especially flooring over unheated crawlspaces)
  • Small holes, cracks or gaps around electrical outlets, exhaust fans, light fixtures and/or plumbing fixtures
  • Chimneys

To find undetected locations, use your hands to feel for cold air. You can also use a handheld thermal heat detector to pinpoint the spots where drafts or cold breezes are coming in.

Easy Fixes for Cold Drafts

Here are some common drafty areas and how to stop the cold air from coming in.

Doors

  • Tighten loose door hinges
  • Add or replace damaged weather stripping
  • Use a draft stopper across the bottom threshold (rolled towels or pool noodles work very well)

Windows

  • Make sure storm windows are in place
  • Swap existing window treatments for insulated curtains
  • Seal entire window (including sides and tops) with an inexpensive plastic sheet; seal tightly with a hot hair dryer
  • Large sheets of bubble wrap or Styrofoam can also be cut to fit snugly inside windows held in place with double sided sticky tape
  • Add or replace weatherstripping
  • Remove old caulk then re-caulk window gaps; preferably treat both inside and outside gaps

Pet Doors

  • Repair or replace broken doors
  • Add or replace weatherstripping around the door
  • Check to make sure door closes snugly

Drafty Floorboards and Baseboards

  • Seal gaps in floorboards and baseboards with caulk
  • For a more natural solution, fill gaps with pieces of jute rope which allows for contraction and expansion of the floorboards
  • Use area rugs or temporary carpet tiles to block drafts from coming up through the floor
  • Seal cracks or gaps in baseboards with clear silicone caulk along the top, bottom and joints

Electrical Outlets and Switches

Remove outlet/switch covers and add foam insulation inserts, which can be cut to size with a standard utility knife.

Gaps Around Fixtures

Seal gaps with a dab of caulk.

Cabinet Drafts

Block drafty cabinet gaps with caulk or Styrofoam sheets taped in place against cabinet walls.

Heat Vents

If you feel cold air coming through your vents, check and change your air filter, which may be dirty and blocking proper airflow.

Conclusion

By taking advantage of our tips, keeping drafts at bay doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive.

To make sure there are no issues with your HVAC system in the New Year, reach out to Dale HCS to schedule a thorough inspection and cleaning.