With colder weather on the way, now is the time to make your home cozier and more energy-efficient.
To help you get started, we’ve rounded up seven low-cost DIY insulation projects to stop drafts, help your home retain heat, and lower your energy bills. Cross these projects off your to-do list this month—you’ll be thankful you tackled them when you’re feeling warm and cozy all winter long!
1. Install Weatherstripping
One of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to cut back on drafts is by adding weatherstripping around doors and windows. Frost King offers a range of products to seal the gaps and cracks around door frames and window sashes that allow cold air into your home. It's an easy weekend project that can have a big impact on energy savings.
How to do it: Find the gaps, choose the right weatherstripping for your job, and apply it around doors and windows where you feel air leaks. Not sure what product to use? Watch this video:
2. Add Door Sweeps
Sometimes sealing the gaps around doors isn’t enough. Cold air can seep in under exterior doors and make your home feel chilly. Frost King Door Sweeps are an affordable solution that can make a big difference—just attach it to the bottom of the door to block cold air coming in between the door and the floor. Bonus: a door sweep keeps out bugs, too.
How to do it: Measure the width of your door and purchase a door sweep that’s the right size. Attach the sweep to the bottom of the door; depending on the kind of sweep you buy, it will attach with screws, adhesive, or just slide along the bottom of the door.
3. Insulate Attics and Crawl Spaces
In most homes, attics and crawl spaces are leading spaces for heat loss. Adding insulation and sealing leaks in these areas can drastically reduce your heating costs and keep your home more comfortable.
How to do it: This guide explains how to find and seal air leaks in your attic and crawl space. Once gaps are sealed, add insulation to your attic floor and between the joists and along the walls in crawl spaces— the U.S. Department of Energy recommends an R-value of R-30 to R-49 for warmer climates and R-49 to R-60 for colder climates.
4. Apply Window Insulation Film
Windows are another area where heat easily escapes, especially if your home has inefficient windows that are older or single pane. Covering windows with a Frost King Window Kit creates an additional barrier between indoors and out to reduce heat loss.
How to do it: Our Window Kits come with clear plastic sheets that are a cinch to install. Start by cleaning your windows and the surrounding trim, then cutting the film to size. Use the double-sided tape that comes in the kit to secure the film to the window frame then shrink the film with a hairdryer for a tight, clear seal. Watch this video before you get started:
5. Insulate Hot Water Pipes
Uninsulated hot water pipes lose heat as the water travels to your faucets, making your water heater work harder. Our Tubular Foam Pipe Insulation can help reduce heat loss, conserve energy, and even raise the water temperature at the tap.
How to do it: Cut insulation tubes to the right length, then open it at the pre-cut slit and slide the insulation right over your hot water pipes. Peel away the plastic that covers the adhesive, then push both sides together to seal.
6. Insulate Electrical Outlets
Electrical outlets and switches on exterior walls can let a surprising amount of cold air in and warm air out. Sealing them is a simple but effective way to make your home airtight.
How to do it: Start by turning off the power to the outlet or switch, then remove the outlet cover and add one of our pre-cut Foam Outlet and Switch Sealers. Replace the cover and you're done! It's a quick fix that can make a noticeable difference. Get step-by-step installation instructions here:
7. Check the Garage Door
If you’ve got an attached garage, gaps around the edges and the bottom of the door can let drafts seep in, making your garage and adjoining rooms feel colder. Make sure the weatherseal that runs along the sides and bottom of the door is in good shape, so the door forms a tight seal when it’s closed.
How to do it: Frost King has a range of garage door accessories to insulate your door. Watch this video to learn how to select and install the right product for your garage door:
