Lets face the facts, we’re broke- being alive in America today is pretty pricey. You’ve got medical bills, student loan payments, car insurance payments, phone bills and groceries to buy.
Wages are low, and you live in an old beat up rental unit that changes hands about as often as a US dollar.
To make things worse, a cold draft has been blasting you all winter. But you aren’t one to give up so easily and you decide to fix it. Here’s a few of the simplest and cheapest steps you might take to save money and keep you warm this winter.
- Check the outer edges of all your windows. Is there gaps between the window and wall?
Chances are these cracks are the source of your cold airs leaks. If you would like to check for other possible leaks around the window edges, light an incense stick. If the smoke doesn’t rise upward and instead blows into the room, you have found a spot that needs to be fixed.
- Use Acrylic-latex caulk to seal the cracks (it’s cheap, about $3 a tube). Apply a thin bead and smooth with your finger. The caulk can be painted if you’d like.
- Outlets and light switches are also a huge source of cold air blowing into your house.
The gaps between the wall and outlet fixture should be plugged.
- Use a Foam insert which is put in place on top of the outlet and behind the outlet cover to provide a good draft-proof seal. You can buy a 24 pack of these pre-cut for about $3. If you’re really broke, you can cut your own out of a foam take-out container.
Doesn’t it feel good to take some control over your life? You’re one step closer to being warm and less broke. Congrats!
The Daily Green 