Did you know that an improperly weatherproofed home can waste 10 to 15 percent of your heating dollars? http://www.consumerenergycenter.org/tips/winterize.html Weatherproof your home to save green and be green. Preparing your house for the winter season is actually one of the simplest – and smartest – ways to save money and live more comfortably, not to mention reduce your carbon-footprint. And you needn't have an advanced degree or a shed full of tools to achieve weatherproofing success for your home or even your apartment.

Really and truly, with a quick – and more importantly, inexpensive – trip to your local hardware store, you can weatherproof your home in no time at all. Sure, there are certainly more expensive routes you could take (i.e. investing in a home energy audit, re-insulating, replacing old windows with newer, more efficient ones), but the methods listed below are still extremely effective while requiring very little skill. You’ll be amazed at how much warmer your home feels – not to mention how much money you’re saving on heating costs. And while the practice of weatherproofing is most commonly associated with keeping heat in and cold out in the winter months, those same little fixes are going to aid in keeping cool air inside the home during the summer. See? It’s a win-win situation all around. So grab an incense stick, some caulk, a caulking gun, a hairdryer (you’ll see) and let’s get started.

Before we can get into the nitty-gritty of weatherproofing, the first two things we need to do are:

1. To assess what our main problems areas are.http://www1.eere.energy.gov/consumer/tips/images/pg9_piechart.jpg
2. Determine what supplies we need for the job (Home Depot and Lowe's carry many different varieties of weatherproofing solutions).

Testing for gaps around windows and door frames can be done by using only a sheet of paper. Simply close the window or door on the sheet of paper and then try to pull it out. If you can pull the paper out without it tearing, you've got a gap that needs to be plugged.

Another easy way to check for drafts is by holding a lit incense stick near window and door frames. If the smoke from the incense stick is getting blown around, this is a good indicator of the gaps that need to be sealed.

Caulk and weatherstripping are your two best bets when it comes to making your home airtight. They come in a variety of sizes and materials, such as open-cell foam, vinyl, metal and self-stick plastic are just a few of the options available. Choose a material that is appropriate for the size and location of the gap. While vinyl and metal treatments tend to cost more money, they also are more durable and waterproof. Open-cell foam strips work great to plug up smaller gaps and they can be pushed into place more easily.

An inexpensive and temporary fix for older windows is to go out and purchase a window insulator kit, which can be found at almost any hardware store. The process is relatively simple:

1. Cut the plastic sheets to fit over each window
2. Attach the plastic to the window frame with the provided double-sided tape
3. Then get your hair dryer out and shrink-wrap the plastic until it's taut and smooth over the window

Adding weatherstripping or pliable sealing gaskets to door bottoms is a great way to eliminate the back and forth airflow from underneath doors.

A draft guard, essentially a heavy tube-shaped piece of cloth placed at the bottom of a door, can also make a big difference. You can buy a proper draft guard at the store, but for those of us on a budget, an old rolled up towel will work just as well... or you can even make your own!http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/353661/keep_your_home_warm_with_a_homemade.html

Below is a comprehensive list of common problem areas that you may not think to check for gaps, cracks and drafts:http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1861721,00.html

1. Mail chutes
2. Electrical and gas service entrances
3. Cable TV and phone lines
4. Outdoor water faucets
5. Wherever dryer vents pass through walls
6. Bricks, siding, stucco, and foundation
7. Air conditioners
8. Vents and fans

For larger gaps, the foam insulation that comes in spray cans work particularly well... just be careful as it's a bit messy.http://www.amazon.com/18230-Kwik-Polyurethane-Sealant-12-Ounce/dp/B000LDIWD8

And before you shell out big bucks on fixes for more extensive problem areas around your home, do yourself a favor and do some research first. There are a lot of creative, but inexpensive, products on the market these days. For example, you can buy an inflatable chimney balloon for your fireplace flue to block any air loss channels for about $50.http://www.chimneyballoon.us/chimneyballoon.html

http://www.consumerenergycenter.org/tips/winterize.html http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1861721,00.html http://homeenergy.org/archive/hem.dis.anl.gov/eehem/97/970908.html http://www1.eere.energy.gov/consumer/tips/images/pg9_piechart.jpg http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/353661/keep_your_home_warm_with_a_homemade.html http://www.amazon.com/18230-Kwik-Polyurethane-Sealant-12-Ounce/dp/B000LDIWD8