New homes are often built to be more energy efficient and maintain heat and temperatures during cold weather months. Older homes and homes that have been damaged or built without energy efficient materials are more difficult to heat. They can quickly become cold due to drafts, resulting in the use of more energy to maintain heat. As a result, this can cause electric bills to more than double over the winter months. While this is great for electric companies, it can quickly become draining on a small, tight budget.
Many more families are required to live on a smaller then average income. Whether it be due to a bad economy, lack of work, unemployment, low wages, high cost of living, retirement, or trying to save for a family vacation, it has become necessary to find ways of spending less and saving more.
Options for Installed and Do-It-Yourself Weatherization Products
There are many energy efficient products on the market such as new double paned windows and storm doors that can be difficult to install and expensive. Most often these products cannot be easily installed and require professional installation to work properly which greatly increases the cost. While the long term benefit would offset the initial cost of materials and installation, many people are not able to afford these.
Less expensive solutions are also available and are designed to do it yourself. Weather stripping around doors and calking around windows will greatly reduce drafts and can be installed by most people. However, these still cost money and may need to be replaced more often than professionally installed products. Also, if not applied properly, these products can quickly fail costing more money and frustration while continuing to allow drafts.
How to Temporarily Eliminate Drafts without Spending Money
- There are many reasons why purchasing installed products or do it yourself materials may not be an immediate option. However, cold drafts and high heating bills continue to be an immediate problem. The following tips are temporary solutions to eliminating drafts and help reduce energy use.
- Hang a blanket or thick sheet over the door, especially at night. This will help prevent cold drafts from coming in and heat escaping through the top, bottom and sides of the door.
- If there are large gaps under the door, place a towel underneath in addition to the hanging blanket.
- Place towels in window sills to prevent cold air from coming in.
- Using heavy curtains in windows will help keep out the cold. If heavy curtains are not available, blankets can be hung in the windows, especially at night.
- Turn off the thermostat at night and during the day if no one will be home.
- Shut the doors of rooms that are not being used. Vents can also be closed to these rooms if they will not be used.
- Blankets should be placed under doors to other rooms where cold drafts come in.
- If a space heater is available, use it in the most used room of the house. It can easily be moved from one room to another as necessary.
While the above tips will not fix a permanent problem, they serve as a temporary solution when money or other measures are not immediately available until necessary home repairs can be made. By eliminating drafts and not heating unused rooms, families can use less energy and save money while keeping warm during cold weather.
Seasonal Home Maintenance
Whether you live in a new home which requires less effort in order to winterize, or an old house that’s brimming with potential cold drafts, it’s smart to perform seasonal home maintenance to improve energy efficiency in your house and relax you to play casino online or comfortably do other entertaining activities.
Use the following helpful checklist in order to save money and energy… and keep your home warm and safe.
Seasonal Home Maintenance: Windows and Doors
- Make sure caulking around all doors and windows is sufficient to minimize loss of heat.
- Check all window and door locks for proper operation: lubricate locks or hinges if necessary.
- Add weather stripping to exterior doors to ensure tight seal.
- Use draft stoppers under doorways to prevent drafts.
- If windows are especially drafty, install window insulation kits, which are available at home improvement stores.
Seasonal Home Maintenance: Heating and Cooling
- Upgrade to a programmable digital thermostat; lower heat in middle of night and mid-day.
- Replace your furnace filter at least once every season; clean and vacuum furnace filter area.
- Avoid frozen pipes by insuring no pipes run outdoors; insulate pipes in cold areas.
- Vacuum all air registers.
- Ensure insulation in cellar, attic and around pipes is adequate: upgrade if necessary.
Seasonal Home Maintenance: Plumbing
- Check for gaps in the caulk around bathroom fixtures. Properly sealing the space between tub, toilet, sink and your flooring material prevents damage to your subfloor.
- Clear out sink drains in kitchen and all bathrooms.
- Check water heater for leaks; insulate if necessary.
- Check all pipes for water leaks.
- Check dehumidifier, or add one. Hook up piping to sump pump or drain for moisture removal.
Seasonal Home Maintenance: Chimney Maintenance
- Have certified chimney professional check all chimneys and wood stoves annually.
- Remove any bird nests from flues or other outdoor areas such as lighting fixtures near the house.
- Make sure all chimneys are well insulated.
- Use fans to circulate heat from fireplaces to other rooms.
Seasonal Home Maintenance: Outdoors
- Clean all exterior gutters. Check for ice in winter.
- Shut off any outdoor hoses at their indoor source: store hoses inside. Allow faucet to drain. Insulate faucet area if winters are especially cold.
- Wrap any window unit air conditioners in airtight covers or remove units and seal windows.
- Check roof flashing; caulk if necessary.
Seasonal Home Maintenance: Home Safety
- Review fire escape plan with your family.
- Replace carbon monoxide and smoke detector batteries.
- Test your emergency generator.
- Replace flashlight batteries.
- Make sure all stairways are lighted.
Although there are many more seasonal home maintenance tips that can ensure you reduce energy consumption and save home heating costs, the checklist above is a great start! Encourage all family members to participate in checking your home for cold weather; this helps children understand the importance of saving energy.
