De-Draft Your Home

:goodhousekeeping.com

2012/07/08

815

Smoke out cold-air leaks using a stick of incense

With the stick smoldering, move it toward the edges of windows and doors. If there's a draft, the smoke will be blown horizontally (no draft, and the smoke will rise as normal). Fix it with caulk, applied inside and out. Or, use a draft snake, like the easy do-it-yourself ones from our sister site, The Daily Green.

Block AC ducts

If your AC ducts aren't used by your heating system, even when the air is off, drafts from the dormant ducts can make the house feel colder. Magnetic register covers are a good fix.

Seal up your attic and basement

Make sure access doors' gaskets aren't old or cracked, and install door sweeps if needed to completely block off unheated areas from the rest of your house.