subject: Save Energy, Save Money: Weatherproofing Tips For Your Home [print this page] Obviously if you had a gaping hole in the wall of your house you would fill it in, because you would not want all of the heat and air to escape from your house. By having faulty weatherproofing in your home you essentially have a gaping hole in your wall, so take time to check your home to make sure that you are keeping the heat or air from escaping from your house.
Door Drafts
A lot of homes lose a huge amount of air under the exterior doors. Check the space under your door with a piece of card stock. If you can slip the card under the door while the door is closed, then too much air is getting out. It is easy to install weatherproofing across the bottom of your door to seal off this space. If the weather stripping around the door is in good shape, and your door simply has a worn threshold, you will need to replace the threshold. One of the most commonly overlooked doors is the garage door.
Drafty Crawlspaces
If your home has a crawlspace, you will have to make sure that it is weatherproofed. Installing fiberglass batting insulation in the attic recesses as well as the crawlspace vents can go a long way towards fixing this problem; styrofoam sheets work as well. If the crawlspace has an access door, that door should also be insulated.
Windows Leaks
Windows are another culprit area when it comes to drafts. If you have storm windows in your home, make sure that you install them before the first freeze of the winter hits. Make sure that all of the weather proofing in the windows is in good repair, because even the slightest crack in the weatherproofing around a window can cause a loss of heat in winter and cooled air in summer.
Miscellaneous Openings
Check windows and doors, and use caulk to seal any areas where you feel a small draft, for example around vents in the bathroom, kitchen and laundry room. Look for places where wiring, cables or pipes enter or leave the house, because this is the perfect spot to add caulk for a fix.
Switch plates
The tiniest crack can leak all of the heat from your home. Look for areas around your electrical outlets and switches as culprit areas. There are kits that you can buy to insulate these areas.
Heat and Air
By insulating your pipes and ducts, you are holding all of the heat in inside which saves energy and money. Insulating a pipe can protect it from freezing, which saves you from dealing with a huge plumbing problem. Install a water heater jacket to make your hot water more energy efficient.
Draft Check
If you are not sure that there is a draft coming though a window or door, you can hold a piece of tissue up to the area in question and see if it flutters in the breeze. If you see a flutter, then it is time to insulate.
