Draft-Proof Your House - Big Y® World Class Market®

Help for homeowners to button up their houses against blustery winters.

>>. Candles and a Blow-Dryer.
If your house has older windows, they probably leak air through the dried out weather-stripping. A good way to find any air leaks from your windows is to use a hair drier and a candle. Move the hair drier around the outside frames of the windows (and doors too), and have someone follow the hair drier on the inside of the window with a candle. If the candle flickers or goes out, you will need to add new weather stripping or caulk at those points.

>>. Caulk and Weather Stripping.
There is a wide variety of weather stripping products on the market, but we recommend using thin spring metal weather strips because they're long lasting and hardly visible when installed. They are cut to length with tin snips and tacked in place. After tacking, lift the outer edge of the strip with a screwdriver for a better seal. You can also use screw in door sweeps on the inside bottom of doors to cover the gap by the floor.

Be sure to also check newer windows for drafts. If the contractor used an oil or resin caulk, it may have been pulled loose in as little as one year, depending on expansion and contraction caused by weather extremes.

You will need to caulk around foundation walls, pipe outlets, clothes dryer vents, and any other gaps on the outside of the house too. Air infiltration from electric switch and plug outlets can be significant as well, so it's smart to insert draft blockers. They are inexpensive and readily available at hardware stores and home centers. And don't forget to weather strip overhead doors of attached garages.

>>. Other Recommendations for Lowering Costs.
In cold weather, set the thermostat at 68 degrees and leave it alone during the day. Overnight, lower setting by 5 to 10 degrees. Make sure the thermostat isn't affected by drafts that will give an incorrect reading. In hot weather, set it at 78 degrees when you're home and lower it a bit for night.

>>. Develop energy-saving window habits.
In the winter, open curtains or shades of east, south and west-facing windows on sunny days to let the sun heat the house. Close them at night to preserve heat. Keep the draperies closed all day on north-facing windows. Do just the opposite in summer.

>>. Turn the heat way down in rooms you don't use.
Turn the heat way down in those rooms or close vents. And check with your utility company to see if they offer free home inspections and energy surveys.