How To Draft-Proof Your Home To Keep It Warm This Winter

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Winter is coming! And if you haven't thought about draft-proofing your home before, it's time to start thinking about it. Most homes, especially older ones, have a lot of small gaps that let cold air in. If you don’t plug these gaps around your home, it will be a lot harder to keep the warm air in and the cold air out. Plus, you may have an issue with noise pollution as well. That’s why draft-proofing is one of the best ways to make your home more eco-friendly and create a better atmosphere at the same time. Here are some of the best ways to draft-proof your home.

Update Doors And Windows

The doors and windows are the most common sources of drafts in the home, and it’s important that you find ways to stop cold air coming in. In some cases, there are small fixes that will solve the problem, but if your windows and doors are outdated, it might be better to replace them. Old wooden windows with single panes are terrible for letting drafts in, but if you replace them with some modern vinyl ones that are double glazed, it’s easier to keep them sealed. A heavier door will also help to block out more cold air, just make sure that you do not have a gap underneath.

Install Draft Excluders

Even if you do have modern doors and windows, there may still be some small gaps that you need to deal with. But don’t worry, there are some simple solutions. If you get draft excluders to go underneath all of the doors, or even make your own, you will block out most of the cold air. You should also get a brush to go over the letter slot (if you have one in your door) because that lets a lot of cold air in. If the seals around windows are letting cold air in, you can buy adhesive foam strips to stick over the top. Adding these draft excluders around the home is an inexpensive but effective way to stop the cold air from getting in.

Block or Balloon Fireplaces

Fireplaces are a common problem, but people tend to forget about them when they are draft-proofing the house. Heat is lost through the chimney if it is open, so you should think about what you want to do with the fireplace. If it is unused, the best thing to do is close it up. Blocking it off is the easiest way to stop any drafts from coming through, but what if you are using the fireplace? It’s a little harder if you still want to be able to use the fireplace but you also want to combat the drafts. You can get around this by using a balloon that fills the cavity and stops air from coming through. The only issue with this is that you will have to keep taking it out and replacing it every time you want to use the fireplace.

You’d be surprised just how much money you are wasting if you don’t draft-proof your house, but these simple changes will stop any cold air from coming into your home.