This winter was one for the record books. Feet upon feet of snow and bone chilling cold were almost ever-present. With all that cold you may have noticed that your house was just a bit draftier than you’d remembered. This winter was one for the record books. Feet upon feet of snow and bone chilling cold were almost ever-present. With all that cold you may have noticed that your house was just a bit draftier than you’d remembered. Old or new, it’s not uncommon for homes to have drafts, but is there actually anything you can do about that problem besides crank up the furnace? Absolutely!

Weather Stripping to the Rescue!

One of the easiest, and least expensive, ways of keeping those cold winds out of your home is to install weather stripping in all of the draftiest spots. It’s not as easy as just grabbing the first product you see on the shelf, though. One quick trip to the hardware store will show you that there are lots of different weather stripping choices you can consider. Which one is right for you? Here’s a quick guide.

- Tension Seal: This works best on a sliding window or a double hung door. You just cut it to the right length, peel, and stick. You could also put finishing nails in it to hang it. It’s a plastic strip that folds into a v-shape, which then expands to help fill the gap.

- Felt: This usually comes by the roll, and it’s the cheapest of your options. You, however, will likely only get a season or so out of this choice. You can install it around the door or window sash, and you simply cut it to the right length, then staple it in place.

- Foam Tape: If you need to install the inside of a door frame or the top or bottom of a window and you have some irregular spaces to work with, this is probably your best bet. It, too, comes with a sticky back, and you can just cut it to fit, then peel and stick.

- Door Sweep: These go on the bottom of a door, and they’re designed to fill the gap to help keep the cold wind out. They come in a variety of different materials, and you’ll need to install it with screws.

- Rolled Vinyl: This can be placed on the door or the window, and they come with self-adhesive backing. Some even come in colors that match your doors and windows to help make them a bit more attractive. They’re pretty rigid, though, so they’re not a good choice for flexibility purposes.

The Easy Way

Weather stripping is a great way to keep your home a little warmer this year, but it’s not always easy to find the time to do so or the right product to meet your needs. Instead of fighting this battle on your own, you may want to call to a Ross Environmental handyman to tackle the task for you. It’s likely to save you some time and money.