Susan Hansen

Colfax County Extension Educatot

The weather has turned colder and if you haven’t thought about how much money it takes to heat your home, you will soon be.

There are some simple things to do to help winterize your home.

Start with weather stripping and caulking.  Both are inexpensive and can pay back in immediate savings on your heating bills.

Take a good look at every crack or joint on the outside of your home.  If the gap is larger than a half-inch first fill it with tubing made to fill cracks.  Then apply a silicone-based caulk to seal over the filler or crack.  With the colder weather, pick the warmest time of the day to apply the caulk.  Make sure there are no gaps.

If your home has single-pane glass windows, they can let out a lot of heat.  Consider putting plastic film over the windows, leaving dead air space between the film and the glass.   Areas that have a large amount of glass, such as sliding glass doors are another area to consider a plastic film covering.  Follow the manufacturer’s instructions on how to properly install.  It is easy to find the windows that are letting in cold air and allowing your heated air to escape on a cold windy day. Just feel the temperature of the air next to the window.

Doors can have gaps if they do not fit correctly or do not have any weather stripping.  There are several inexpensive products that can help a door hold in the heat.  Be sure to check the bottom of the door and where the door latches for air leaks.

Controlling heat loss in the heat ducts and cold air returns are another inexpensive way to spend a little and save a lot.  One way is to cover all exposed ducts and returns with aluminum-finished “bubble wrap” and attach it with aluminum tape, which will stick better then traditional duct tape.

Duct work can also have heat escape through joints.  Furnace supply or heating contractors can help you find a tape or putty material that will seal joints.

Proper insulation is more expensive to install, but has long-range payback for consumers energy savings.  Insulation is measured in R values, a measure of resistance to air movement.  Choose the type of insulation based on where you are insulating.  Blown-in cellulose insulation works well filling in cracks and small nooks. When filling a cavity a tube-fill process helps to direct the insulation to all parts of the cavity. 

Lowering your thermostat at night and when you are not at home will also help in lowering your energy cost.   Check the clothes dryer vent to make sure that it works properly and shuts when not in use. 

Two web sites that will offer more information about saving energy are the Nebraska Energy Office    http://www.neo.ne.gov/    and the U.S. Department of Energy   http://www.energy.gov/yourhome.htm.