Thanks to the Recurve blog for this list of useful projects to help prepare your home for the winter months.
1. Dodge the Drafts: Drafts can waste 5% to 30% of your energy use. Employ an old Great Depression fixture, the draft snake. These can easily be made yourself, just place a rolled bath towel underneath a drafty door.
Exterior doors can contribute to air leakage, as well as some heat transfer and energy loss if they are old or not properly installed. There are a number of ways to correct energy problems caused by old or leaky doors. Storm doors and weather stripping can be added to existing doors, and careful selection of new door options can go a long way in conserving energy and money.
Proper ventilation of the attic with natural air flow keeps the roof deck cool and dry, extending the life of roof shingles and preventing ice dams without using the energy needed to run an attic vent fan. Be sure attic soffit vents and gable vents are not blocked so air flows freely through them. Some homes have ridge vents or vents through the roof deck instead of gable vents.
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