Warm Up This Winter

A lot of folks believe that living in Maine means wearing several layers of clothing around the house. But it doesn't have to be that way! There are lots of things you can do to make your home more heat efficient.

One of the most important things you can do is to look for where cold air is getting in. Of course, that also means those are the places where the warm air is escaping. An energy audit can give you the full picture. But there are some quick fixes you can do now.

Check at your hardware store for kits to seal your windows in plastic. You'll need the kit, scissors, a yardstick or tape measure, and a blow dryer to basically shrink-wrap your windows. When you apply the heat from the blow dryer, the plastic sheet pulls taut, making it easy to see through, but sealing off all the air leaks. Of course, this should only be done to windows you don't plan to open all winter!

Using caulking on doors and putting a strip along the bottom to block the draft will also make a huge difference! Buy some of those child-safety plugs for your unused outlets, and there are some foam rubber gaskets to go behind your outlets that will help too.

These are some very simple and quick fixes. For more information on how to weatherize and on how to get an energy audit for your home, log onto the Efficiency Maine website. And stay warm!