Draft-proof your home

As the cold winds pick-up and winter gets closer, it’s important to seal up drafts to keep the heat inside… and the cold outside. Here’s a few tips from MOLLY MAID, the professional domestic cleaners to draft-proof your home:

• Hold a lit candle in front of windows to test them for leaks and drafts. If the smoke from the candle swirls, there’s an air leak and the window should be sealed correctly. Use a clear sealant around outer edges so that you don’t have worry about matching paint colours.
• If windows are older and not energy efficient, use an interior plastic window sheeting kit from the hardware store for better insulation. Follow directions – you use plastic wrap and a blow dryer to shrink the plastic over the window as well as two-sided tape.
• Install rubber strips around the bottom edge of doors to prevent warm air from escaping when a door is shut. For sliding doors, install weather stripping inside the door.
• If you feel air coming in at the bottom of skirting boards, use a clear sealer to stop that draft too.
• Outside, walk around your home and check seams between exterior walls, doors and windows. If there are small cracks, fill them with sealant. Check common openings including dryer vents, outdoor electrical wires, pipes, and water taps.
• Check exterior-facing outlets. To stop drafts, install foam gaskets behind the plate. Insert plastic plug covers to prevent additional drafts.

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