Snellville, GA on Nov 03, 2011

"Knock Knock", "who's there", "it's Old Man Winter and I'm coming right on in!" Most times you can't keep old man

winter out and the gas and electric prices keep increasing and increasing. There may be several drafts in your house and you're losing heat left and right. A few ideas, take a candle into rooms you may have drafts in, move the candle around your window seals, if and when it flickers (pay attention) you have a draft, make sure to insulate those areas with stuffed sock or old sleeves. Another option is to place plastic sheeting on the interior windows and seal the edges tight with a blow dryer. Add heavier drapes or curtains to block any air coming in from outside. Insulating the attic keeps the house warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer. Stay Warm and save money!

13 Comments

Dan's of Central Florida,... Clermont, FL

Great tips Kimberly. Those are some good, cheap suggestions there. We could all use a little extra savings these days!

on Nov 03, 2011 · Like 1
Walter Reeves Decatur, GA

Yup - I spent the afternoon in my attic putting expanding foam around bathroom fans that were not sealed when installed this summer.
Your candle idea is great. I put box fans in two windows and turn them on high, pushing air outdoors, to make drafts around windows and exterior doors even more noticeable.

on Nov 03, 2011 · Like 0
Steve G Fort Collins, CO

Great tips, Kimberly. I think incense sticks are even better for testing for drafts. Candle flames tend to be a little erratic, especially with my unsteady hand, but incense smoke is really noticeable when it is being pulled out a drafty gap.
Also check into free or discounted energy audits for your area. They can often find energy gaps you might not have thought of.

on Nov 03, 2011 · Like 2
Woodbridge Environmental ... Colonia, NJ

The incense sticks are a great idea Steve, I do not like the use of a open flame anywhere other then my fireplace. But Kimberly is right, now is the time to start thinking about doing those little things that save you lots of money and make you more comfortable during those cold wintery nights.
Another tip were we find when doing audits is the outlets and switch covers. Lots of air flows out of these devices. Much more then you can even imagine. For about $.25 each you can purchase ...»
outlet and switch gaskets that are placed under the covers. it takes about 60 seconds to remove the cover, install the gasket and reinstall again. It really makes a difference every little thing you do.

on Nov 04, 2011 · Like 1
Reichel Insulation Tavares, FL

I agree with Woodbridge, you can also use a siliconized latex caulk and seal the edges of all electrical boxes to the drywall. One step further and you can caulk or foam the wire penetrations from the electical boxes into the wall cavity, being careful not to get shocked. You may want to turn off power to the circuit you are working on. If you have "recessed cans" you can remove the trim ring and also caulk the can to the sheetrock, a high temp caulk may be needed here.

on Nov 04, 2011 · Like 0
Teresa D Snellville, GA

I'm planning on doing some winterizing this weekend. Doing my outlets and felt weather stripping around my doors.

on Nov 04, 2011 · Like 0
KMS Woodworks Nederland, CO

Spray foam around electrical boxes (switches and plugs) is even better that the caulk or gaskets...in most homes Fiberglass batts are the most common form of wall insulation and the "cut outs" for these boxes is never very precise. Spray foam not only seals the air leaks but also fill the voids from a less than ideal "cut out". If the dry wall was cut very tight to the box...as is the case sometimes...then poke a small hole with a round screw driver right next to the box...then the ...»
plastic tube nozzle of the spray foam can can be inserted in that hole. I normally do one at the top and one at the bottom.

on Nov 04, 2011 · Like 0
Teresa D Snellville, GA

Is the spray foam insulation as hard to control as that Great Stuff stuff? Having read about it on another DIY site, I used it for sealing cracks last year and got yellow stuff all over the place. I thought I could just clean up the overspray but it got hard quickly and it would not cut as easily as I thought and left yellow particles behind. Also, the can is single use, so if you don't use it all at that first use, the rest is waste. I'm digressing here, but it was a bad experience I guess I'm not totally over yet. *shudder

on Nov 04, 2011 · Like 0
Woodbridge Environmental ... Colonia, NJ

There are all sorts of types of spray foam. Great Stuff makes slow rise formulas as well as the yellow stuff that keeps on coming after your done spraying it.

on Nov 04, 2011 · Like 1
KMS Woodworks Nederland, CO

The "learning" curve for some versions of spray foam ( Great stuff and other brands) can vary on the type...big gap...regular...door and window...slow rise etc. When I upgraded some "sealing" projects around my home I used a Dap...window and door spray foam...after a few cans worth I was doing great...this was a white slow rise type of foam.

on Nov 04, 2011 · Like 2
Kimberly Lacy Snellville, GA

I like the incense idea! besides I love incense!

on Nov 05, 2011 · Like 0
Reichel Insulation Tavares, FL

I mentioned using caulk between the sheetrock and the outlet, switches and recessed cans for that exact reason ( foam can be hard to control and messy in a finished home). Also most foams used by homeowners are an open cell foam, that can let air through and if you are really trying to air seal, a flexible caulk is the way to go. When we air seal a home we use many products because every hole has a best way to fill it or seal it. A large hole may even require sheetmetal or wood to begin ...»
the process that is then finished with foam and or caulk. In a few home where we did blower door testing between different improvements, we found air sealing to be the biggest reducing in air intrusion. New windows can have very little change in the blower door reading, while air sealing can reduce 1 cfm per square foot of house space in many cases. Most homes tested have enough small holes that it is like leaving a large window open all the time. Air sealing and then adding insulation will give you the best return on your investment.

on Nov 05, 2011 · Like 1
April Lawrenceville, GA

Those are some great tips, Kimberly! Thanks for sharing! :)

on Dec 05, 2011 · Like 0