How to Winterize Your Home on the Cheap

Winterizing your home to keep out the cold does not have to cost you an arm and a leg. If you live in an old or drafty house you already know the costs involved in heating a home such as this. By doing a few simple home winterization steps you can save additional money on your heating costs. Before you spend any money trying to keep your house warm by winterizing it you should make sure you have taken care of the basics.

Winterize Your Home - Basics:

Make sure that all storm windows are closed and you have locked all of your windows. You would be surprised at how much cold air can seep into your home by just having your windows up a crack. If you still feel cold air seeping into your home through the window you can always use blankets or shrink wrap insulation. A towel rolled up on both ends and placed at the bottom of the window can be a free version of the twin draft guard to keep winter air out.

Likewise you will need to change your screen doors and put in the storm doors or make sure all of those windows are covered. If you notice any air leaks around your windows a little bit of caulking or weather stripping can go a long way.

Winterize Your Attic:

Remember to include your attic in your house winterization plans. If you have an attic fan check to make sure it is not still running and pulling the heat right out the top of your house. Next you should cover the attic fan or whole house fan to keep out leaks. Be sure to make sure any windows in your attic are winterized also.

While you are looking at your attic make sure look to and see if you have the proper amount of recommended insulation up there. You can easily buy some fiberglass insulation rolls at your local home improvement store. By investing a little money in attic winterization by insulating now you can save a ton on heating bills later.

Winterize Your Doors:

Doors are another big draft offender and need to be winterized in your home. Weather stripping around the door can lessen some of the unwanted airflow. You can make a twin draft guard or a draft snake if you are handy with a sewing machine. There are also no-sew draft dodgers that you can make out of tights. Or you can just roll up a towel and place at the bottom of your outside doors to stop the drafts from coming inside.