As a kid, I remember sitting on the floor near our living room window in the middle of winter, watching TV and petting Dutchess, my 130 lb. mutt.
Even though it wasn’t too far away from the woodburning stove my dad always had cranked, that one particular spot always felt colder. Not freezing, but definitely off.
At the time, I didn’t think much of it. Old house built in the 1940s by my grandfather that unfortunately I never had the chance to meet, cold day, that’s the way it’s supposed to be.
But years later, the lightbulb in my brain went on when I experienced something very similar in my house. That room wasn’t just cold, it was leaking money and resources.
And chances are, your home might be, too.
I’m not talking broken windows or gaping holes that you would fix immediately. Just small, easy-to-miss drafts that quietly pull warm air out and let cold air creep in. Or vice versa in the summer when you’re trying to keep the house cool.
The kind you barely notice but definitely pay for.
If you want to lower your energy bills, save resources and make your place more comfortable, this is one of the easiest places to start.
And the good news is you don’t need special tools, a big budget, or to make a full weekend project out of it. You just need to know where and how to look. Then, what to do when you find it.
How Drafts Are Draining You
Odds are, your home isn’t dealing with just one gap. There may be dozens, even hundreds of tiny seams around doors, baseboards, outlets, and fixtures that are making your home or shelter way less efficient than it should be.
Opposite end of the spectrum, I came home the other day and it was a lot hotter than it was when I left the house. So hot that the central air kicked on upstairs. Wasn’t expecting that. You could tell because all the windows were open and I saw the dollar bills flying out of them at warp speed.
That’s essentially what’s happening with drafts, just on a smaller scale. But that scale is still big enough to do damage to your wallet.
Electricity, heating oil, gas, or other resources you’re using to heat your house, you’re using more fuel than you need to. I hate that, maybe even more than having food go bad.
How to Find Those Drafts
I always start with my hands. On a cold day, I’ll go to the front door and run my fingers along the edges. When I feel nothing, I smile.
We used to have a cat, BoeBoe, who would always scratch on the front door to come in. Well, she also would scratch through the weatherproofing on a regular basis, and it was bye-bye money. I loved her, but I didn’t love that or replacing the weatherproofing every few months.
After the front door, I’ll check the sliding back door, windows, baseboards and outlets. Then I’ll move on to the floor edges, you’d be surprised what you may find here. Then the trap door to the attic.
Here’s one you might not have thought about. My dad’s friend, Jack, is a building inspector. I told him I was getting central air put in when we were having the house built. The first thing he said was, “Make sure you stuff insulation in the vents at the end of the season.”
Apparently, the vent covers close, but they aren’t airtight. So, all winter long, heat is getting sucked up into the attic. Am I glad I talked to that guy because I never would have known. Just make sure you pull the insulation out in the Spring. I forgot once. Once…
Sorry, got sidetracked.
I don’t do this, but you can also use a candle very carefully, to find those drafts. Just hold it near the edge of the window or door. If the flame flickers or the smoke drifts in a specific direction, you likely found your huckleberry.
Some other tell-tale signs are cracked or peeling caulk, gaps you can actually see around frames, and doors or windows that aren’t really square. Or, and I just noticed this by my door leading to my garage, light peeking through where it shouldn’t be.
Quick Fixes You Can Do Today
I start with the biggest perpetrators since those are costing me the most.
Back in the BoeBoe days, I was running to Lowe’s on a regular basis to replace the weatherstripping on the front door. Your windows may need a fix here, as well. Measure twice before you go. Pretty easy fix, though.
I have one of those funny looking cat draft blockers in my house for the door leading into the garage. I never could get the door sweep right there. You don’t need anything fancy, just something to close the gap quickly and make sure it stays in place. That was a home run.
A tube of caulking will cover a lot of problems, too. Scrape the old stuff off if it’s still there and put a new layer on. Good as new.
And don’t forget the outlets. Most people, me included years ago, usually do. You can find outlet gaskets pretty cheap. They’re just small foam inserts that sit behind the cover and they do make a real difference.
If you’re in a time crunch, there are some temporary fixes that can hold you over like rolled towels or fabric draft blockers, sheets of plastic for the windows or removable seal strips. I don’t love those options, but they’ll work.
I try to spend about a half hour every month doing a walkthrough. Shouldn’t take you any longer than that. If you have a tiny house, maybe five minutes.
Low-Cost/Big Savings Upgrades
I never even heard of thermal curtains until my father-in-law got them. No matter what he did, his front door couldn’t keep the cold out. But once he put a thermal curtain up in the entranceway, it worked wonders for sure.
Window film kits are good. They just create a thin barrier that blocks the drafts. Foam sealant is great around pipes and wall AC units. I just used half a can last year at my mom’s house for her one wall unit.
You’ll find sometimes that maybe a door just isn’t sitting right. A minor adjustment could be all it takes to tighten the seal.
Final Thoughts On Draft-Proofing
You don’t want to throw away your hard-earned cash or use resources you don’t have to. My prepper “Spidey senses” go into overdrive when I even think about it.
Draft-proofing your home or shelter definitely isn’t something flashy. Like, no one is ever going to say, “Wow, nice weatherstripping.” But I can tell you, they will say, “What the hell happened to your weatherstripping?” Oh, BoeBoe.
Sealing those gaps makes sense though. Start with that speck of sunlight coming from the lockset in your front door. Then enjoy the feeling of accomplishment, along with the added comfort to your home and utility bill savings.
Move on to a window you’ve been suspecting is robbing you. From there, check out the rest of the room.
Once you get into it, you’re going to want to make sure your whole place is draft-free.
Anthony Vion is a lifelong prepper from Long Island, NY, with decades of hands-on experience in practical skills and self-reliance. He focuses on simple, effective solutions that help people make their homes more efficient, capable, and prepared for everyday challenges.
This guide is meant to help you spot and fix common drafts using simple, low-risk methods. Every home is different, so use your best judgment and take your time with any repairs. If something feels outside your comfort level, it’s always worth bringing in a professional. And as with any DIY project, follow basic safety precautions and the instructions for any tools or materials you use.
