Stop Drafts To Reduce Your Utility Bill
There can be nothing worse than being interrupted by a trickle of cold air when you are just sitting down in your favorite chair to view an episode of one of your favorite soap operas. This can be especially true when you are just getting to a juicy piece of the drama, but it can be more than just a nuisance, as if you leave the problem unchecked you will end up paying a lot more money to the utility company as you waste energy.
There are a number of potential sources of leaks around your home. Even if your home is new, a contractor may have taken shortcuts and might not have installed some window frame insulation. This can be one of the primary areas to look when you are trying to stop drafts.
Living in an older house may make you feel fortunate that the construction standards of old were a little better. This may be the case, but as time goes by foundations will settle. As a result tiny gaps will appear in and around windows and doors and you should look here to stop drafts.
Your pocketbook can really suffer if you do not try and stop drafts. Most people don't realize how many different locations around the house can be prone to leaks. If you don't take action, you will find that you are using an increasing amount of air conditioning in summer and an increasing amount of heated furnace air in winter and this can account for a large part of your monthly energy usage.
You may be tempted to take advantage of grants, incentives, tax credits and resources offered by federal and state agencies when it comes to replacing windows. If you feel that your draft problem is so bad that you have to do this, you can certainly take advantage of the more energy-efficient units available on the market these days. However, you should really consider less costly options first.
You could come up with an almost immediate solution when you are looking to stop drafts by selecting a simple product like a door draft protector or a window sock. There are many expensive and difficult solutions available when it comes to sealing doors and windows, but you should try the simplest idea first.
When you're looking for the source of drafts you will find that in many cases the bottom of the door is one of the chief culprits. Come up with an instantaneous solution by placing a door snake along the boundary. These items are very durable and are filled with ground corn cob which is a proven insulator. You should find that your air is now going nowhere.
Window sealing kits are available to help you stop drafts. However, they can be tricky to fit as the shrink-wrapped plastic needs to be stretched over the windows. If you are not too happy with the final look, pick a simpler and more cost effective solution and use a purpose made draft protector.