How To Seal Your Windows and Doors Before Winter | Billy.com

A cold draft leaking through your windows and doors can make the efforts of your heating system pointless. Learn how to seal your windows and doors before winter so that you can keep your home warm.

Weather Strips

Weather strips are attached to the sides of doors and windows to fill the gap between them and their frames. There are three main types of weather strips: foam, felt, and V-channel. All three are relatively easy to install with adhesive siding, which means tools aren’t required. Foam and felt are typically used on doors, while V-channels were initially designed for windows. However, V-channels are great at sealing doors as well.

When installing weather strips, make sure you apply them to all three sides of the frame to block out the wind.

Window Insulation Film

Window insulation film is a plastic material that resembles saran wrap. The film will block drafts from coming in through the window’s glass; however, some people don’t like it because it distorts the window’s view.

To apply it, place the film over the interior of the window using adhesive strips. Then, use a hairdryer on a low setting to remove any wrinkles.

Caulk

If the door or window frame seal is wearing down, you may need to re-caulk the seal to block any wind. You can find caulk at any hardware store, and all you need to apply it is a steady hand.

Curtains

If you want to prevent cold air from coming in through the glass, the simple addition of curtains goes a long way to sealing the home. An ordinary thick curtain can be effective, but they are even specially designed insulated curtains with added padding for winterization.

Door Sweep

If your exterior doors don’t already have one, you should add a door sweep to block out any cold air that could leak in from under the door. Doors sweeps are a little more complicated to install, as you’ll need to screw them into the bottom of your door; you may benefit from hiring a handyman to help with this project.

Draft Snake

A basic temporary fix to draft problems coming in from a door or window jam is with a draft snake. A draft snake is just a thick tube of fabric meant to insulate cracks. They can’t cover an entire frame, but they can help if the problem is isolated to a small area.

Hopefully, now that you know how to seal your windows and doors before winter, you’ll be able to cut the costs of your utilities this season.