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Winterize your home:
Save money and energy!
Window Insulation Films
Estimated energy loss for U.S. consumers through residential and commercial windows is over 25 billion dollars a year – a loss comparable to the value of the oil delivered by the Alaskan pipeline or 5% of the total U.S. annual energy use!
Energy Film is a thin, transparent window film that provides immediate energy savings by retaining interior heat in the winter and blocking solar heat in the summer. The only window film to provide insulation all year long, Energy Film does not use a tint or mirrored surface to achieve its insulating properties and is virtually invisible. Simply apply directly to the inside of the glass with a few sprays of water and a squeegie. Adhesives are not required. Available in two sizes: 24”x48” (sku 500100, 22.99) and 48”x84” (sku 500103, 44.99).
Window Insulation kits allow you
to easily install a clear film to seal out air drafts and create a dead air space between the film and the window surface. Just use a hair dryer to heat the film to shrink to fit your window. Available in assorted sizes to cover from 18 square feet to 108 square feet. (Sku 59829, 5.99; sku 59902, 19.99)
Weatherstripping and Caulking
These are probably the least expensive, simplest, most effective ways to cut down on energy waste in the winter. Improperly sealed homes can waste 10 to 15% of your heat.
- Check around doors and windows for leaks and drafts. Add weatherstripping and caulk any holes you see that allow heat to escape. Make sure that doors seal properly.
- If your windows leak badly, consider replacing them with newer, more efficient ones. Replacing them can be expensive, however. It could take quite a while to recover the cost from energy savings alone. New windows also provide other benefits, though, like improved appearance and comfort.
- Every duct, wire or pipe that penetrates a wall or ceiling or floor has the potential to waste energy. Plumbing vents can be especially bad since they begin below the floor and go all the way through the roof. Seal them all with weatherstripping or caulking.
- Electric wall plugs and switches can allow cold air in. Install pre-cut foam gaskets that fit behind the switch plates and effectively prevent leaks.
Examine your heating ducts
Check heating ducts for leaks. Think of the ductwork as huge hoses, bringing hot air instead of water into a building. Mostly out of sight, ducts can leak for years without anyone knowing. They can become torn or crushed and flattened. Old duct tape will dry up and fall away over time, allowing junctions and splices to open, wasting heated air into an attic or under the house. (Metal-reinforced or foil-backed tape should be used instead of duct tape.) Roughly 10 percent of a heating bill can be saved by preventing leaky ducts.
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| Window insulation film |
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Close your damper |
Close the damper on your fireplace
The fireplace damper obviously needs to be open if a fire is burning, but if it’s open when you’re not using the fireplace, the chimney is functioning as a large open window that draws warm air out of the room and creates a draft.
 Check your insulation
- Insulate your attic or crawlspace. In an older home, that can be the most cost-efficient way to cut heating bills. Before energy efficiency standards, homes were often built with little or no insulation. As a result, large amounts of heat can be lost through walls, floors and—since heat rises—especially ceilings. Insulate the attic hatch or door, too.
- Seal holes in the attic that lead down into the house, such as open wall tops and duct, plumbing or electrical runs. Cover and seal them with spray foam and rigid foam board if necessary.
Inspect your heating system
- Get a routine maintenance and inspection of your heating system each autumn to make sure it is in good working order. Replace your heater’s air filter monthly.
- Clean and remove dust from vents and along baseboard heaters.
- Use a set-back thermostat, which will automatically turn down the heat when you’re away at work or sleeping at night, and then boost the temperature to a comfortable level when you need it. Remember, it takes less energy to warm a cool home than to maintain a warm temperature all day long.
Programmable Thermostats
With the onset of winter and cold weather, a programmable thermostat, capable of dividing the days into multiple time zones, allows you to adjust the temperature level accordingly. For example, at night you can turn it way down, program it to have the house warmed when you wake up and the temperature set during the day to an appropriate level depending on the weather and the season. These thermostats are easy to install and save energy and money on your electric bill.
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