Now that it’s winter, there’s a chill in the air! Take steps NOW to ensure your home remains comfortable through the coldest months of the year. Besides proper insulation and HVAC maintenance, you need to a close look at your windows for any air leaks. Below are tips to find drafts, seal them and banish them for good in just 3 steps:
1. Locate the draft
Here’s a quick, easy method of testing the seal on your windows. First, close all windows as tightly as possible. Next, light a candle. Hold the flame near each window, inches from the glass, slowly moving the candlestick around the seam between the window and its frame. If the flame bends or flickers while your hand is still, then there’s probably an air leak. Mark the trouble spot so you can return to repair it later.
For a more accurate diagnosis, hire a professional to perform an energy audit of your home. Many local utility companies offer such services either for free or for a nominal fee. Check with the company that provides your electricity.
2. Address the cause
Having pinpointed the window drafts in your house, the next step is to seal them all up. There are several ways to get the job done. Some methods are inexpensive, temporary and manageable for DIYers. Other more permanent options are quite expensive and best left to contractors. Here are the options:
- Weatherstripping: Easily affordable, with a price tag of only a few bucks per window, weatherstripping lends itself to easy DIY installation. Purchase the product in your chosen material — felt, foam, plastic or metal. Cut the strips to size, and use them to fill the gaps between a window sash and jamb.
- Caulking: Caulk windows in 2 places – where the window meets the surrounding casing, and where the casing meets the surrounding wall (inside) or siding material (outside). Tubes of caulk are inexpensive, and with a little practice, easy to use.
- Draft snakes: Draft snakes are stuffed tubes, placed on a windowsill or under a door, to keep out the cold and keep in the warmth. Buy one at low cost or make your own for next to nothing. If you go the DIY route, you can use virtually any fabric, including extra towels or socks. Fill the middle with batting, rice, potpourri or anything similar you have on hand. Though decidedly makeshift, draft snakes work well in a pinch.
- Insulation film: If you don’t plan to open and close the window, try sealing it under a layer of insulation film. Sold by the roll, insulation film either self-adheres or goes on with double-stick tape. Also available are special shrink-wrap kits that, once heated with a hair dryer or other tool, create an impermeable, airtight seal without visible wrinkles.
- Replacement windows: It can cost a small fortune to replace the windows in your home, but upon resale, the average homeowner recoups about 79% of what they invested in the replacement. Today’s energy-efficient windows minimize drafts and create an overall tighter seal. In fact, Energy Star-rated windows can lower your energy bills by 7-15% monthly.
3. Add a layer of protection
No matter the benefits of replacement windows, many people are either unable or unwilling to cover the initial expense. If you’re looking for a less costly but permanent solution to window drafts, consider storm windows. Some designs fit within the window on the interior; others cover the window from the outside. Any type can go a long way toward insulating and protecting the windows you currently have.
When it comes down to it, every layer helps. If you do nothing else to remedy the problem, why not at least hang curtains? You stand to gain not only greater comfort but also real savings on your month-to-month heating bills. Don’t get left out in the cold!
Article originally appeared on Zillow.
