How to Draft-Proof Your Home Before the Cold Hits
Warm air leaking out and cold air sneaking in can undo whatever heater you use. These simple fixes help any room hold its heat.
Before you add more heat, make sure you're not losing the heat you have. Drafts around doors, windows and other gaps let warm air out and cold air in. Sealing them is usually inexpensive, and it helps every heater in your home work better.
1. Find the drafts
On a cold, windy day, slowly move your hand around door frames, window frames, outlets on outside walls, and where pipes or wires come through walls. You can also hold a lit incense stick near these spots and watch for the smoke to move. Be careful with open flame.
2. Weatherstrip doors and windows
Weatherstripping seals the gap between moving parts, like a door and its frame. Foam tape, V-strips and rubber gaskets are sold at any hardware store. Replace any that are cracked, flattened or missing.
3. Add a door sweep
If you can see daylight under an outside door, add a door sweep or a draft stopper. It's one of the quickest fixes there is.
4. Caulk fixed gaps
Use caulk to seal cracks that don't move, like gaps between window frames and walls, or around baseboards on outside walls.
5. Use your windows and curtains
- Close heavy curtains at night to add a layer between you and cold glass.
- Open them on sunny days, especially on south-facing windows, to let the sun warm the room.
- Try window insulation film on drafty older windows. It's a clear plastic sheet you shrink on with a hair dryer.
6. Reverse your ceiling fan
Many ceiling fans have a switch that changes the blade direction. In winter, run it clockwise on low speed to push warm air near the ceiling back down without creating a chilly breeze.
7. Use your thermostat wisely
A programmable or smart thermostat can lower the temperature automatically while you sleep or are away. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates you can save as much as 10% a year on heating and cooling by turning the thermostat back 7 to 10 degrees for eight hours a day.
Weekend draft-proofing list
- Check doors, windows and outside-wall outlets for drafts
- Replace worn weatherstripping
- Add door sweeps to outside doors
- Caulk fixed gaps
- Close curtains at night; open them on sunny days
- Set ceiling fans to clockwise on low
The bottom line
Sealing drafts makes every heat source more effective, from your furnace to a small heater in one room. Do it once before winter, and you'll feel the difference all season. Then consider zone heating to go further.
Note: This article is general information. Follow your heater manufacturer's instructions and local fire safety guidance. Energy costs and savings vary by home, climate and electricity rates.
