Every drafty window you seal, every door frame you patch up, is money in your pocket. How tight can you make your house this winter? You just gotta try it to find out. Plus, saving cash is always fun.
Now, I prefer the duct tape method, because it's fast, effective and awesome, but I''ll get to that later.
There are plenty of inexpensive ways to insulate your home, using things you have around the house or can easily obtain at Home Depot.
The biggest loss of heat from a home is through the windows, especially skylights or windows on the north side of the house. If your windows are old and drafty, you could save big bucks by replacing them. New windows are so far superior to the old windows present in many homes that they'll easily pay for themselves in heating costs.
You can help to improve the insulating quality of any window by sealing around the edges of the frame with clear silicone. You'll need a tube of construction grade silicone and a cheap silicone gun from Home Depot. Squeeze a generous amount into the gaps around the frame and those cold, annoying drafts are sure to stop.
If you plan on keeping your windows closed for the winter, you might want to consider buying a window insulating kit. It consists basically of adhesive and oversized saran wrap. The saran wrap is stretched across the window and secured around the frame of the window. It's so clear and smooth, you won't even notice it's there. Seriously.
This method works well for skylights, too, which are the biggest single cause of heat loss in a home. Heat rises and escapes out the skylights, so if you're going to seal anything for the winter, seal those skylights!
Here it is, my favorite method of home insulation. Duct tape. If you need a quick fix for a drafty window, get out a roll of duct tape. Cover the gaps around the frame with strips of tape, and also make sure to seal the gap around the track where the window moves up and down inside the frame. You're gonna fall in love with duct tape ALL over again when you see how well this can work.You can also save money on energy costs by insulating the hot water pipes in your basement. Pipe insulation can be found at Home Depot, and is cheap and easy to apply. Cover all your hot water pipes, including the pipes that feed your forced hot water heating system. Now sit back and watch the energy savings roll in, you brilliant, brilliant person.
Always be on the lookout for drafts and gaps around doors and windows, and winterize any doors and windows that won't be in use until Spring.
You must be psyched. Insulating RULES, and now you've got some insulating to do.
