Weatherize My Home
One of the most cost effective energy saving measures is to seal air leaks in your home. You can save from 5-15% of your home heating and cooling by simply plugging holes. And you can usually do it yourself for just a few dollars in supplies.
Your Impact
Action Steps & Tips
Introduction
A few easy steps to seal leaks can save up to 15% on your monthly heating and cooling bills, make your home much more comfortable, and reduce your impact. Most weatherizing projects can be completed with $20-50 in caulking and weatherstripping supplies. The savings on your energy bills should quickly cover the cost for materials. Even better, sealing leaks makes for a much more comfortable and cozy home!
This low cost, simple action can generally be done yourself, but if you're not sure, ask a handy neighbor or a friend if they can help you out. Most handypersons are also qualified to do these simple repairs. If you rent your home, check with your landlord first to get permission.
1Identify your air leaks
First, identify your air leaks. If you want a detailed assessment of your home's air leaks, you can hire a qualified professional to perform a Home Energy Checkup. However, you can also detect many leaks on your own. The most common places are windows, doors, and fireplaces. Check out the Energy.gov guides: Detecting Air Leaks and Tips for Sealing Air Leaks to learn more. Once you know where you have air leaks, the next step is to seal them!
2Install weatherstripping and door sweeps for drafty windows and doors
Weatherstripping. Weatherstripping is used to seal air leaks around movable items like windows and doors and is easy to apply. If you already have weatherstripping, check its condition. Weatherstripping can become worn and cracked and requires occasional replacement. Before you start, check out the Energy.gov Weatherstripping guide. If you still have questions, your local hardware store can likely help you identify which products will work for your project.
Door sweeps. In addition to weatherstripping, door sweeps and thresholds installed on the bottom of doors prevent cold air from coming in and warm air from escaping your home. Check all your doors and add or repair thresholds where needed. Use thresholds with pliable sealing gaskets (e.g. a soft material like rubber along the bottom) for the best effect.
3Caulk and seal air leaks
Caulking is best for sealing smaller air leaks. Some prime areas for caulking include windows, doors, ceiling fixtures, electrical outlets, plumbing pipes, chimneys and more. For larger gaps, you can also use foam sealant. There are different kinds of caulking; your local hardware store professional can probably suggest caulking materials appropriate for each task. You can also check out the Energy.gov How to and Caulking Guide. For sealing air leaks around a fireplace, furnace or water heater vent, use fire-resistant materials such as sheet metal, or sheetrock and furnace cement caulk.
4Block heat from escaping up your chimney
If you have a fireplace, make sure your fireplace flue damper is working properly and is closed when not in use. You can also install glass doors and keep them closed to keep in the warm air. If you have retired your fireplace for good, install rigid insulation in the chimney to block heat loss around the damper.
Congrats! Now that you've sealed air leaks in your home, check out the Weatherize and Insulate your Attic action and the Insulate Floors & Walls action for more savings!