Insulating your home is one of the most effective ways to save money on heating and cooling costs. Not only does insulation help to keep your home warm in the winter and cool in the summer, but it also helps to reduce drafts and improve indoor air quality. The good news is that there are many easy and inexpensive ways to insulate your home, without the need for major renovations or costly professional services.
Here are 10 easy and inexpensive ways to insulate your home:
- Seal air leaks: One of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to insulate your home is to seal air leaks. Look for gaps around doors, windows, and electrical outlets and use caulk or weatherstripping to seal them. Older windows lose their airtightness over time and will eventually need to be replaced.
- Install external door sweeps: Another simple way to reduce drafts is to install door sweeps on the bottom of exterior doors. Normally made of plastic, they are attached to the bottom of doors to block air from entering the home when the door is shut. Door sweeps are inexpensive and easy to install and can make a big difference in reducing drafts.
- Use draft stoppers: Draft stoppers are simple and inexpensive devices that can be placed at the bottom of doors to reduce drafts. They can be filled with materials such as rice, beans, or even old socks. Newer ones slide onto the bottom of the door and remain place as the door is opened or closed. If you have a door that generally remains closed such as a cold room door in the basement you can roll a large towel(s) up and shove it against the bottom of the door to block a draft too.
- Add window film: Another simple and inexpensive way to insulate your windows is to add window film. Window film is a clear adhesive film that can be applied to the inside of your windows to improve their insulation.
- Insulate your attic: Insulating your attic is one of the most effective ways to reduce heat loss in your home. You can use roll insulation or blown-in insulation, which can be purchased at your local hardware store. It’s important to understand R-value which is the term and measurement used to describe the level of insulation being provided. The colder your winter environment the higher R-value you need and most builders only supply the bare minimum required by law.
- Insulate your walls: If you have walls that are not insulated, you can use foam insulation to insulate them. This can be done yourself if you have the skill or you can hire a professional which is most likely the preferred option.
- Insulate your floors: Insulating your floors can help to keep your home warm in the winter and cool in the summer. In this instance, we’re talking about you laying something on your floors yourself to give the feeling of warmth to your feet as you walk on it, such as insulation boards or rugs made of natural fibers. Rugs or throws also help to brighten up a room too.
- Add insulation to your pipes: Insulating your pipes is a simple and inexpensive way to reduce heat loss. You can use pre-slit foam pipe insulation, which can be purchased at your local hardware store. You can easily do this yourself in minutes and just slide or push the rolls onto hot water pipes in your basement particularly around the water heater.
- Use drapes to your advantage: Drapes can be used to help heat the home in winter by keeping them shut at night and opening them up to let sunlight in during sunny winter days. Conversely in summer, drapes can be left shut to keep the sun at bay to keep AC costs down.
- Use a programmable thermostat: This isn’t insulation per se but it can be a big part of heating and cooling your home which is one of the biggest costs you can control. A programmable thermostat can help you to save money on heating and cooling costs by allowing you to set the temperature in your home to match your schedule. It’s a good idea to reduce the temperature in your home overnight by a few degrees not only to save on energy costs but for better sleeping too.
By implementing these 10 simple and inexpensive ways to insulate your home, you can reduce drafts, improve indoor air quality and save money on heating and cooling costs.