Small to big solutions for keeping that room warm

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Published Date 2/14/2024

Sometimes there is that one room in your home you’d love to hang out in, but you hesitate during this time of year. Why? Because it’s drafty. And it’s February.

Realtor.com’s Geraldine Campbell says while you may think of drafty rooms as a minor inconvenience during the chillier months, they’re a sign that your home is poorly insulated. “A poorly insulated home is an inefficient one all year round,” she adds, citing ways to make your drafty room warmer — from minor fixes for immediate relief to longer-term solutions that will almost certainly decrease your utility bills.

The cheapest and easiest fix? Seal your doors and windows. Drafty rooms are often the result of aging and/or poorly installed windows and doors. Deterioration is marked by gaps, allowing warm indoor air to escape. So weather-strip away and add door sweeps around windows and underneath doors. It’s a small-scale solution, but can work to seal out drafts, ensuring stable temperatures within your home.

Experts remind you before installing weatherstripping you’ll want to make sure to remove any window air conditioners or anything propping windows open. And tape around doors you don’t use in the winter.

Want to find out where all that cold air is coming from? It might not even be your windows and doors. It might be your attic or crawl spaces. Even your outlets or recessed lighting could be to blame. To determine the source of the cold air, hire a professional to perform a blower door test to reveal leaks and identify low-hanging fruit.

Heavy-duty drapes and cellular shades can help too — providing a barrier against cold air and providing some immediate relief. Campbell reports that according to the Department of Energy, most drapes will reduce heat loss by around 10%. “To maximize effectiveness, hang blinds as close to your windows as possible, make sure they extend all the way to the floor, and consider adding velcro or magnetic tape to seal things up even more,” she says.

Insulated cellular shades are an even more effective alternative, especially ones that operate on side tracks. The DOE says they offer the highest thermal protection, diminishing heat loss by up to 40%.

So you’re a renter and just don’t want to have to hassle all this on any kind of permanent basis? If your landlord isn’t open to either of the above improvements, get a space heater. Campbell likes the Lasko Heater — small but mighty and the price is right.

Of course, your last resort if your windows and doors are old and leaky is to consider an upgrade. Today’s windows and doors provide enhanced insulation and significant advancements in energy over older models, bolstering your home’s thermal retention and increasing your home’s value at the same time. Look for windows and doors with compressible gaskets to get the tightest seal. Experts suggest that casement, hopper, or awning windows seal better than sliding and single- and double-hung ones. Finally, look for double-pane windows at minimum; for doors, look for an R-value of at least R-3.

Realtor, TBWS

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