My 120-year-old house is a bit drafty, but I usually don’t mind. I like the idea of an easy exchange of fresh air for my boiler. Stopping major drafts, however, makes the house much more comfortable and saves energy. Here are five excellent ways to make your home cozier in the winter months.
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The bottom of a door is a typical spot for the wind to come howling through. If your door has an adjustable sweep, check to make sure it’s adjusted properly. If your door doesn’t have a sweep, add one in five minutes. If your storm door has an adjustable sweep, learn how to adjust it to keep drafts out.
Even if you have new windows and doors, they can still be drafty and cold. It’s possible that whoever installed them didn’t seal up gaps around the rough openings. But you can fix this fairly easily with a can of spray foam. You just need to remove and replace the trim.
Air leaks from the heated part of your home to an unheated attic cause heat loss. They also cause air movement or, drafts. Seal up these air leaks with insulation.
The weather stripping around your entry door may still be intact, but is it doing its job? Old weather stripping loses its flexibility with age. If yours is old and brittle, replace it.
This one’s less obvious, but it can be a major source of cold air intrusion. Dryer vent covers are supposed to flap closed when the dryer isn’t running, keeping cold air out. But if the cover is coated with lint or otherwise faulty, the flap might stay propped open, creating a 4 in. diameter pathway for icy winter air to enter your home.
