Handyman Alpharetta GA: 3 Ways to Effectively Seal Your Home for Winter

Tammy Bridges • November 11, 2021

The temperature is dropping, your sinuses are acting up and college football is on T.V., so that must mean one thing - it’s winter. With the bone-rattling weather of winter here once again, you’ll obviously want to stay warm and toasty inside your home.

But if your house isn’t properly sealed, some of that heavenly warm air can escape through even the smallest opening in its exterior.

Air leaks like this can actually raise your home energy bills by as much as 30 percent. That’s a lot of money you could be spending on Mucinex or college football tickets so that’s why we air seal!

Air sealing creates a barrier at any opening in your home’s exterior to prevent or minimize the air movement; saving energy and keeping it snug inside.

Even if you live in a new home that seems well-insulated, there are still improvements that you can do to make sure it’s perfectly sealed.

Here are three surefire ways you can correctly seal your home for winter:

Door Sweeps

Did you know that even a 1/8-inch gap under your front and back doors let in as much air into your fortress as a small window open halfway? That’s why we recommend attaching door sweeps on exterior doors.

It's one of the most affordable ways to weatherize your home since it’s so effective at sealing drafts and installation only takes a few minutes.

But how do know you need it? Lay a sheet of paper on the door frame and close the door on it. If the piece of paper comes out easily without tearing that means you need a door sweep.

We recommend you test all sides of your exterior doors and weatherstrip if they fail the test.

Handyman Alpharetta GA: Door and Window Weatherstripping

In addition to door sweeps, weatherstripping is another affordable and easy way to weatherize your exterior doors and windows.

How do you know you need it? Once again, conduct the simple paper test mentioned earlier with your doors. When it comes to your windows, if you can stick your fingernail into a gap between the window and its frame, you need weatherstripping.

Weatherstripping seals out unwanted outside drafts, moisture and dust, preventing heat loss and mold, while improving air quality and keeping pesky bugs out of your house.

Pressure-sensitive, adhesive-backed foam tape is probably the most common, affordable and easiest weather stripping to apply. It comes ready to use in rolls of different dimensions.

The tape keeps air from sneaking in between the door and the doorstop or between the two window sashes. It also adds a touch of soundproofing and cushioning for when the door is accidentally slammed.

Install Plastic on Interior Windows

Poorly maintained and loose-fitting windows are like having a hole through the side of your house.

We recommend weatherstripping your windows and then sealing them with very inexpensive plastic, also called a window insulation kit.

Why plastic window seals? Because the $0.20-square-foot plastic, when properly installed, can save you just as much money as a new storm window. Save that doe and go with a window insulation kit.

Here’s a helpful tip: When adhering the plastic to the self-adhesive tape, start in the center of the window frame and move to the corners; and when blow drying the plastic taut, start at the corners and move to the center of the window.