Keep The Heat In and The Cold Out: How to Find & Fix Drafts

Before the cool weather finally decides to stick around for good in Central Pennsylvania, it’s a smart idea to make sure your windows and doors are ready! Did you know that if you add up the heat-loss from all the cracks and holes in the average home, it would add up to the equivalent of leaving 1 window open every day of the year. That’s a lot of wasted energy! Let’s fix this.

How to Find a Window Draft

When you’re trying to identify a draft, wait for a windy day and try these methods:

• Wet your fingers and move them along the cracks of your windows and doors. If you feel a cool breeze on your fingers, you’ve found the culprit.
•  Light a candle and move it along the window or door frame. If the flame flickers, that means that air is moving past.
• Close all your windows and turn off any appliances that may create a disturbance in the air. Light some incense and watch the movement of the smoke. If the smoke is either sucked out the frame or blown into the house, that’s where the draft is coming from.

Fixing a Window Draft

Now that you’ve identified your problem areas, it’s time to fix it. Here are 3 methods of solving a draft problem:

Draft Stopper: If the draft is coming in from the base of your window or door, one solution is to purchase a draft stopper. Draft stoppers can be purchased online or from local hardware stores. If you’re feeling crafty, try making your own draft stopper.

Weather Stripping: As an alternative option to the draft stopper, weather stripping can be installed. There are many online tutorials for installing weather stripping, or you can leave it to a professional, like Aspen Home Improvements.

Caulking: For drafts coming through the side of a window or door, caulking is a great option. When fixing indoor areas try clear caulking for the best look. Once the caulk has dried, use one of the 3 testing options again to make sure the problem has been fixed.

Replacing: If none of these options seem like the right solution to your problem, you may need a new window or door installed.

• If you have wooden windows, they’re likely to deteriorate over time if they’re not maintained properly with sealing and painting. Aspen has a wide variety of Okna Windows to choose from to help you save even more energy.
• Does your home have sliding doors? The life span of these types of doors is typically 10-15 years, if your past this point, replacing them might be necessary. Choose from Aspen’s selection of doors that can be quickly installed in your home.

Looking for more ways to prepare your home for winter?

Dark dirty looking spots could just be dirt, but it could also mean mold, fungus, algae, or vegetation growth! This doesn’t necessarily mean your roof needs to be replaced, but it definitely should be taken care of. At Aspen Home Improvements, we offer roofing complete with Scotchgard™ Protector to help protect against algae on your shingles.

Missing, Cracked, or Curling Shingles

Your roof’s shingles are out in the sun all day long, and over time the sun can slowly dry them out. If you can touch your roof’s shingles and they fall apart, it’s time for a new roof. While a single broken shingle may just need a quick repair, multiple damaged shingles could require replacement.

If your home is experiencing any of these signs (or all, yikes!), contact us. There’s no better time to replace your roof than before the winter snow hits! Give Aspen Home Improvements a call to learn about roof repair in Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Maryland.