During the winter, cold drafts from windows and doors can quickly go from uncomfortable to unbearable. Plus, they waste energy. If cold air is coming in around your doors and windows, warm air is also seeping out. That makes it harder for your heating system to keep your home warm, driving up energy costs.
There are fast fixes, like window draft stoppers and door sweepers, that can help, but these don’t actually solve the problem—they just put a bandaid on the symptom. If you want a permanent solution, Neeeco can help.
In this guide, we explain:
- Why your house is so drafty
- How to permanently block drafts from doors and windows
- How you can use Mass Save® rebates to pay for upgrades
What Causes A Drafty House?
Before we dive into solutions, let’s talk about why your house is so drafty in the first place. The answer is simple: air leaks. Most houses are not airtight. Instead, they’re riddled with small gaps, openings, and air leaks. These leaks can be located just about anywhere, but they’re especially common in attics, around basement rim joists, and—you guessed it—around doors and windows. If your windows are old, damaged, or improperly installed, they’re likely surrounded by gaps and cracks that create drafts.
Air leaks let air move freely into and out of your house. So, if air leaks are the problem, why does your house feel drafty all the time, not just when it’s windy out? It’s because of a phenomenon that energy efficiency experts call the stack effect. During the winter, hot air in your house rises. If your attic isn’t properly insulated and air sealed, it will escape through the attic, creating a vacuum that pulls cold air in through air leaks on your home’s lower levels. If there are air leaks around your windows and doors, you will notice cold drafts all throughout the winter, even when the weather is mild, because of the stack effect.
How to Stop Drafty Windows & Doors
1. Air seal & insulate your whole house
The combination of whole-house insulation and air sealing are the best and most effective way to fix a drafty house. This will not only fix window drafts but also lead to better comfort throughout your entire house and reduce your energy costs. The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that the average home can save 15% on heating and cooling costs by insulating and air sealing!
2. Replace Your Windows
It’s not always necessary to replace your windows to stop drafts, but if you have old, single-pane windows, installing new, energy efficient windows might be the best option.
Mass Save® Rebates Can Help You Pay for Weatherization & Windows
If you’re looking for affordable ways to stop drafts and make your house more comfortable, schedule a no-cost Home Energy Assessment with Neeeco today. We can help you take advantage of Mass Save rebates and incentives for insulation, air sealing, energy efficient windows, and more.* During your no-cost Home Energy Assessment, we will evaluate your home to uncover the hidden inefficiencies that cause drafts and other comfort problems. We’ll also provide a list of recommended upgrades and the rebates and incentives you’re eligible for, which may include:
- 75-100% off an insulation upgrade
- No-cost air sealing
- $75 rebate per window when replacing single-pane windows with ENERGY STAR Most Efficient windows
- 0% interest financing up to $25,000 for insulation, air sealing, and new windows
*Some restrictions apply. Offers are subject to change or cancellation. Visit MassSave.com/HEA for full details.