Insulate doors and windows that are drafty.

I live in a house that was built in 1977. It may not be 100 years old, but it is plenty drafty! We have chosen to do all sorts of renovations over the 13 years we have lived here, but still have things that need to be done. One of these things is replacing all the windows in the house. This is not a cheap project!

We did what most people do to solve the draft problem, which is add extra insulation strips around doors, put plastic over the windows, and close the vents on the bottom level to increase the airflow to the upstairs. That only helped so much.

We have a vaulted ceiling in the living room and entryway that sucks up much of the hot air, and in this same room there were old french doors and a stone fireplace. So, lots of wasted hot air going on!

Last year, we decided we had to do something about the loss of heat in this room. After all, we spend a lot of time in this room watching TV and playing games with our kids. It is also adjacent to the kitchen, so it is where our extended family gatherings take place as well.

We started researching replacement doors. Wow! I had no idea it costs so much to replace one stinkin’ door! My dream of keeping beautiful french doors died when I saw the price. So, we have a beautiful wood sliding door now. The door is a huge improvement in the aesthetic look of the room and a huge difference as far as energy savings! There is no cold air coming through there anymore!! 2020 project- fireplace insert!

We decided a few months after replacing the door to replace our window in the kitchen with one that slides both directions. Again, huge energy savings with just replacing one old window. I love that we can reach out to the deck to hand people things through the window! It comes in handy when barbecuing!

If you are not in the position to replace windows or doors that are drafty, then keep using the extra insulation strips, keep covering unused windows with plastic, and put door runners on the bottom of each drafty door. We still have doors that have runners. All those things do make a difference.

We will continue to replace windows when we can, but it may only be one or two at a time. Happy insulating and stay warm!