How to Get Rid of Drafts in Your Home

Many Anchorage homeowners, like the rest of the nation, are trying to keep their energy costs down as much as possible.  In the winter, we want to keep warmth in.  In the summer, we want to keep the heat out.  A drafty home is a huge waste of energy.  Here is how you can get rid of drafts in your Anchorage home:

1. Identify the Problem Areas - Underneath exterior doors (including the door to the garage) and around windows are the biggest culprits of drafts.  Make sure to check the seal around your attic entry as well, whether it's a door or the pull-down type.  One simple trick is to use a lit candle to identify any drafts around doors and windows.

2. Windows - The weather stripping and caulking around windows tends to dry and crack easily, allowing the wind to penetrate your Anchorage home.  Replacing this is both easy and cheap.  You can purchase caulking in tubes at the hardware store, apply it with a caulking gun and simply smooth into place with your finger.  Weather stripping can be cut to fit and quickly applied by tacking it in place.  You should also check newer windows to make sure the caulk hasn't been pulled away from your home due to contracting and expanding during temperature fluctuations.

3. Doors - Installing a kick plate or a door sweep (a rubber extension piece) at the bottom of all exterior doors will help keep drafts to a minimum. 

4. Electrical Outlets - Believe it or not, your electrical outlets and light switches can be a significant source of drafts in your home.  Tighten any loose or ill-fitting plates so they sit securely against the wall.  Replace any cracked or broken outlets.  Ask your hardware store about draft blockers for them as well.  These are easy to install and very cheap.

5. Vents - Your dryer vent, drainage pipes and other areas that open to the outside of your home are ways that drafts can make their way in.  Caulk any gaps you find.

Identifying the problem areas will help you get rid of drafts in your home.  When an Anchorage home is less drafty, it is much more energy-efficient in both the winter and summer, costing less to maintain.  If you need help buying or selling an Anchorage property, please don't hesitate to contact me.

Pauline Hofseth, your Anchorage real estate specialist