Winter in Seattle is still in full swing, and even the upcoming spring months can bring cold air that gives you a chill. Your home should be a safe haven away from cold winter weather, but old, worn-down doors and windows might be letting drafts of cool air inside. Not only do drafts make you uncomfortable, but they also reduce the efficiency of your home’s heating and cooling system.
Weatherproofing your home is a good idea no matter what season it is, because it helps regulate the interior temperature, warm or cold. To help lower your electric bills every month and stay warm and cozy until warm weather arrives, there are a few tricks you can do to stop the drafts using materials found at your local Ace Hardware in Seattle. Try these five tips to seal up your windows and doors:
- Install weatherstripping: There are numerous types of weatherstripping materials appropriate for windows and doors: compression, V-type and foam. Compression weatherstripping is typically the most effective, but is harder to install than foam stripping. Weatherstripping should be installed along the top and sides of swinging doors or the doorframe, as well as along the top and bottom of window sashes.
- Add or replace the door sweep: Door sweeps are a piece of plastic or wood with a vinyl strip on the bottom that adheres to the bottom of your door. Sweeps block the space between your door and the floor and can reduce drafts significantly. If your existing sweep is old and worn-down, you should replace it with a new one for added effectiveness.
- Apply sealant foam to windows: For older windows, there is likely some extra space around the windows on the inside of your home causing leaks. Use sealant foam on the top, bottom and middle of windows to fill in the gaps and insulate your windows thoroughly. You can find many great brands of sealant foam at an Ace Hardware in Seattle.
- Reapply exterior caulking: The outside of your home takes a beating from rainfall, ice and sun, so it’s typical that exterior caulking around doors and windows begins to fail and cause leaks. Examine the areas around your doors and windows and use caulk to fill in any sections that have peeled away or look worn.
- Use insulated window coverings: For a more budget-friendly and less laborious weatherproofing fix, add insulated window coverings to offset drafts. Plastic film can be applied to your interior windows using double-sided tape and peeled away when warmer weather arrives. Additionally, you can install thermal curtains that help your home retain heat or block the sun’s rays during summer.
If your home is full of leaky, drafty windows and doors, stop by your local Ace Hardware in Seattle and pick up the tools to weatherproof your home today! Stewart Lumber & Hardware Co. has served contractors, remodelers and homeowners for 90 years, offering a wide selection of top-quality products and building materials for every type of home project. And if we don’t have what you need in stock, we’ll order it for you. Stop in today!