Winter is coming, and there’s no better solution to making your home more energy-efficient while saving you money on your utility bill than providing better insulation inside your home. Most modern homes don’t have as big of a problem with drafts indoors, but there’s always room for improvement when it comes to keeping your home warm and cozy. Let’s explore your greenest and most affordable options.
Door Draft Snakes
This item isn’t exclusively a Canadian product, although chances are someone who lives in Canada will be familiar with this item compared to those from other countries. It’s not a real snake — it’s just a draft blocker made from cheap filler materials to keep it from rolling around. The snake is placed at the foot of doors and windows to keep cold air from seeping indoors, and it’s largely effective, although not an ideal solution because it doesn’t form a perfect seal. You can buy your snake or make it from materials easily found around the home.
Shrink Film
Although far from elegant, this solution forms a seal around your windows, creating a layer of insulation. The idea is similar to down feather filling, where the air gets trapped in little pockets, preventing their circulation into other areas. To install shrink film, you tape the edges of the film to the window frame, or if the frame is recessed in the wall, then apply it directly to the wall itself. The film itself shrinks to fit tightly over the entire window area after being heated, which also means that you can’t open and close it until the film is removed!
Winter is coming, and there’s no better solution to making your home more energy-efficient while saving you money on your utility bill than providing better insulation inside your home. Most modern homes don’t have as big of a problem with drafts indoors, but there’s always room for improvement when it comes to keeping your home warm and cozy. Let’s explore your greenest and most affordable options.
Door Draft Snakes
This item isn’t exclusively a Canadian product, although chances are someone who lives in Canada will be familiar with this item compared to those from other countries. It’s not a real snake — it’s just a draft blocker made from cheap filler materials to keep it from rolling around. The snake is placed at the foot of doors and windows to keep cold air from seeping indoors, and it’s largely effective, although not an ideal solution because it doesn’t form a perfect seal. You can buy your snake or make it from materials easily found around the home.
Shrink Film
Although far from elegant, this solution forms a seal around your windows, creating a layer of insulation. The idea is similar to down feather filling, where the air gets trapped in little pockets, preventing their circulation into other areas. To install shrink film, you tape the edges of the film to the window frame, or if the frame is recessed in the wall, then apply it directly to the wall itself. The film itself shrinks to fit tightly over the entire window area after being heated, which also means that you can’t open and close it until the film is removed!
