I just found this $8 door hack that could stop heat escaping and cut my energy bills this fall
The cold weather is descending, and with that, our heating bills shoot up. Here's a simple and affordable hack that could help keep those costs low while still keeping your home warm.
With the colder months approaching, it's essential to prepare your home for the chilly weather. While there are various ways to weatherize your windows, focusing on your doors is equally important. A simple and affordable $8 hack can help stop heat from escaping and prevent cold air from entering your home.
To begin, inspect your doors around the house to locate any potential draft issues. Ilja Medvedevs, director of internal door supplies at Door Supplies Online, recommends closing the door and running your hand along the frame, particularly the sides and top. You can also use a thin piece of tissue paper near the edges; if it moves when there's no breeze, investigate that area further. Additionally, check underneath the door for daylight or cold air coming through.
Once you've identified the problem areas, it's time to implement the $8 hack. Affordable DIY draft-proofing strips, available on Amazon, can be easily installed and cost around $8. These strips seal off the bottom of your door, taking only about 2 minutes to attach using the strong adhesive already included. They can be cut to size, ensuring a proper fit without making it difficult to open and close the door. Measure the gap first, as something too thick can hinder the door's closure.
Medvedevs advises that these simple draft-proofing strips are perfect for blocking gaps on both interior and exterior doors, and they're popular among customers with almost 50,000 reviews on Amazon. To install them, especially on older external doors, you may want to heat the stopper with a hair dryer for a minute beforehand. Please note, however, that if the door has dropped, is difficult to close, or has a large uneven gap around the frame, a draft strip may not be sufficient. In such cases, addressing the door's hanging issue first is necessary.
By implementing this $8 door hack, you'll not only save money on energy bills during the fall and winter but also keep excessive heat out during the summer months.
Written by urgent.news from Tom's Guide's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
