WindHarvester
Bronze Member
1 - Seal or weatherstrip doors and windows
($5 to $40)
There's a reason this is the fall-back winterizing technique: Bad windows and door seams can pull warm air out of your home like a vacuum. Several manufacturers offer caulk or foam weatherstrips for doors and windows.
2 - Insulate pipes
($2 to $5)
Heat can leak out of hot-water pipes just as it can leak out of drafty homes. Reduce water-heating bills by wrapping hot-water pipes in foam pipe wrap.
3 - Insulate outlet covers
($1 or less per outlet)
Outlets and switch boxes on exterior walls aren't huge sources of heat loss from a home, but they are easily overlooked and easily remedied. Most hardware stores offer inexpensive foam insulating plates that slip discreetly under the existing plate to reduce the loss.
4 - Replace the furnace filter
($8 to $12)
A clean furnace filter might not make your home warmer, but a dirty one will make your furnace work harder, jacking up your utility bill. (The price is for conventional filters; electrostatic filters, which can last years, cost more.)
5 - Block the chimney effect
($50 to $2,000)
Even with the flue closed, a chimney can continue to suck air out of the house. There are two quick ways to seal the leak: Properly installed glass doors - ideally, with airtight doors - can stop much of the loss, although they can be expensive. A far cheaper alternative is a chimney balloon or plug, which inflates to block the air loss - although it must be removed when the fireplace is in use.
6 - Install programmable thermostat
($25 to $100)
No need to leave the heat at 70 degrees when you're gone all day or sleeping all night. A programmable thermostat allows you to control the temperature and save money (the EPA estimates $180 a year) without feeling the chill.
7 - Install thermal window coverings
($10 to $500)
Thermal-backed drapes or quilted drapes might not be the most stylish feature of your room, but they don't have to look hideous, either - and they can dramatically reduce the amount of heat lost through your windows.
8 - Install a ceiling fan
($100 to $300)
A ceiling fan can help warm, as well as cool, a room, which can be especially valuable if the home has high ceilings, where heat gathers. Most ceiling fans have switches that reverse the direction of the blades, so the fan can gently pull cool air up and push warm air down. Look for Energy Star-rated fans, which will use less juice.
9 - Add attic insulation
($50 to $100)
Experts recommend at least 12 inches of insulation, so if you can see your ceiling joists, you don't have enough. Blown insulation is best over existing insulation but requires a blower. (Some retailers will provide a blower free if enough insulation is purchased.)
10 - Wear a sweater
(Free)
This standby requires no professional installation, is portable and fits like a glove. Best of all, it can already be found in your closet.
($5 to $40)
There's a reason this is the fall-back winterizing technique: Bad windows and door seams can pull warm air out of your home like a vacuum. Several manufacturers offer caulk or foam weatherstrips for doors and windows.
2 - Insulate pipes
($2 to $5)
Heat can leak out of hot-water pipes just as it can leak out of drafty homes. Reduce water-heating bills by wrapping hot-water pipes in foam pipe wrap.
3 - Insulate outlet covers
($1 or less per outlet)
Outlets and switch boxes on exterior walls aren't huge sources of heat loss from a home, but they are easily overlooked and easily remedied. Most hardware stores offer inexpensive foam insulating plates that slip discreetly under the existing plate to reduce the loss.
4 - Replace the furnace filter
($8 to $12)
A clean furnace filter might not make your home warmer, but a dirty one will make your furnace work harder, jacking up your utility bill. (The price is for conventional filters; electrostatic filters, which can last years, cost more.)
5 - Block the chimney effect
($50 to $2,000)
Even with the flue closed, a chimney can continue to suck air out of the house. There are two quick ways to seal the leak: Properly installed glass doors - ideally, with airtight doors - can stop much of the loss, although they can be expensive. A far cheaper alternative is a chimney balloon or plug, which inflates to block the air loss - although it must be removed when the fireplace is in use.
6 - Install programmable thermostat
($25 to $100)
No need to leave the heat at 70 degrees when you're gone all day or sleeping all night. A programmable thermostat allows you to control the temperature and save money (the EPA estimates $180 a year) without feeling the chill.
7 - Install thermal window coverings
($10 to $500)
Thermal-backed drapes or quilted drapes might not be the most stylish feature of your room, but they don't have to look hideous, either - and they can dramatically reduce the amount of heat lost through your windows.
8 - Install a ceiling fan
($100 to $300)
A ceiling fan can help warm, as well as cool, a room, which can be especially valuable if the home has high ceilings, where heat gathers. Most ceiling fans have switches that reverse the direction of the blades, so the fan can gently pull cool air up and push warm air down. Look for Energy Star-rated fans, which will use less juice.
9 - Add attic insulation
($50 to $100)
Experts recommend at least 12 inches of insulation, so if you can see your ceiling joists, you don't have enough. Blown insulation is best over existing insulation but requires a blower. (Some retailers will provide a blower free if enough insulation is purchased.)
10 - Wear a sweater
(Free)
This standby requires no professional installation, is portable and fits like a glove. Best of all, it can already be found in your closet.
