Can you imagine a draft monster? What would it look like? It would most certainly have a large mouth to suck all of that warm air out of your house, I am sure.
If you’ve been visited by the draft monster in the past, now is the time to get ready for its reappearance. After all, it’s fall, and after fall comes the cold and drafty winter season. Here are some tips that will help you draft-proof your home.
First, check for the presence of drafts. Place your hand next to doorways and windows, or place a thin piece of tissue there and see if it moves. If it does, you most certainly have a draft. If you can feel the cool air seeping under the doorway or the side of the window, you likely have a draft as well.
Check to make sure that your doors and windows fit snugly. If they don’t, look for the reasons why. Is your window frame solid? Does the window slide properly into place? Does the door hang correctly? If the draft is an issue of lack of fit, this might be a matter for a carpenter.
Check what attaches the windows and doors. Are the hinges solid? Does the window have good caulking around it? If not, you can add caulking to make sure that little leaks don’t push through the window frame.
If your doors are persistently leaky and you can’t fix them well, consider adding temporary measures such as a draft snake. A draft snake is a temporary block to air movement, kind of like a scarf for the bottom of your door.
For windows, a thick window shade such as a blackout blind works well in the winter cold. When you’re not in the room and don’t need the light, draw the shades to keep the warm air in and the cold air out.
You can also create a physical barrier between rooms. Turn a cold back hall area into a mudroom by hanging a door or a thick curtain between the door area and the rest of the house. Cold air might come in, but it will not lead to as much heat loss from the main house if there’s a barrier in place.
How do you fight off the winter draft monster?
Image Credit: rabellos