Your doors and windows in your home are the greatest areas of heat loss. Even if those windows are brand new. Now I am not saying anything bad about your new windows but stating a fact. That glass is not as efficient as a wall with drywall insulation and an exterior cladding. And if your windows are old and drafty then the heat loss is even higher.
How To Fix Drafts In Your Home
Simple fixes and a little work can have you feeling a lot more comfortable next to those openings.
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Lock your windows; This is something that will help dramatically. You may not even realize they are unlocked by doing so helps to tighten up the sashes to the weather stripping.
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Speaking of weather stripping add some. If you take a lit candle and slowly go around the window or door you may see the flame flicker when it comes to a breach in the weather stripping. This material comes in many different thicknesses, colors and styles and by applying additional weather stripping to larger gaps you can eliminate the drafts.
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Your number one tool to eliminating drafts and saving money on your heating bill is a tube of caulk. Use a clear caulking to seal drafts at the baseboards, around door trim and anywhere else you feel a draft. The material goes on white but once dry turns clear and you will not see it.
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Adding a door sweep to the bottom of the door can make quick work of eliminating a draft. But did you know many exterior doors have thresholds that are adjustable? If you see several screws looking up at you try loosening them up to raise the threshold to kiss the bottom of the door and seal out the draft. Open and close the door a few times to make sure it does not get stuck. And keep in mind it may be higher on one side to compensate for the angel of the bottom of the door.
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Check for gaps and holes on the outside of your home and seal them up with expanding foam. Not only will this keep your home warmer, but it will also help to keep rodents from entering your home. It’s a quick and easy application with a gap and crack product. Remember that the foam really expands. If you over spray and are left with a large mound of the material once dry you can cut it back using a sharp utility knife.
Always follow manufacturer’s instructions before using any product.
For more helpful tips and advice, visit a neighborhood Ace or visit us online at acehardware.com
Published on 12/16/2020
