5 ways to stop heat loss

RECESSION BUSTING 2023

They're easy to do and won’t break the bank

BY ISABELLE SOUTHCOTT

If you’re tired of watching your hardearned money go to heating bills, check out these tips on how to reduce heat loss in your home, from RONA assistant manager Trevor Spreeuw.

(We know that improving the insulation of your home is the main way to battle heat loss through floors, walls, windows and roofs, but here are a few other quick, inexpensive ways that also help and may benefit those renting a home).

1. Caulk

Feel a draft around your baseboards? There’s an inexpensive way to stop that air coming in, says Trevor. Grab a tube of Alex Plus Acrylic Latex Caulk Plus Silicone to seal the leak and reduce heat loss. Caulk is an inexpensive and effective way to reduce drafts especially in older homes. Caulking is great for sealing drafts that come through the cracks of your baseboards as it creates a waterproof seal that is paintable. “It’s widely used, and easy to work with.” ALEX PLUS sells for $3.19 a tube.

2. Insulating Window Film

Pick up a package of insulating window film and apply it to your windows or patio door. Old and inefficient windows can cause the cold winter air to permeate your home and increase your heating bills substantially. Window insulation film works by reflecting and dispersing the heat, provides extra insulation, retains natural light and provides year-round energy savings as it allows for better heating in the winter and better cooling in the summer.

This is a quick and easy way to reduce the amount of heat lost through windows – especially single pane windows, says Trevor. Simply purchase a package of insulating film – package sizes and prices vary depending on the size of windows but start at $15 – and apply using a hair dryer and scissors to cut film to desired size.

3. Seal Doors & Windows

Rubber window seal fits snugly around your windows and doors and allows you to secure both against drafts. It’s self-adhesive and seals doors and windows to reduces noise and drafts. It’s quick and easy to install. Price ranges from $12 to $20.

4. Reflectix

This is an easy-to-use thermal insulating material that’s both cost-effective and easy to use. Reflectix is a bubble wrap product with a reflective foil side that creates a dead air space when applied. It’s great for crawl spaces, ducts, walls and more. “It’s also amazing for around the hot water tank,” says Trevor explaining how the heat reflects off the foil and keeps the hotwater tank hot for a longer period of time using less energy. It costs under $2 a lineal foot for the biggest roll.

“You can put this right over existing insulation and it will act as a vapor barrier if you seal it properly,” says Trevor noting that a stapler and sheathing tape (construction tape) are also needed.

5. Furnace Filter

Change the filter in your furnace twice a year. Having a clean filter helps your furnace do its job properly. If your furnace is working overtime because your filter is dirty it is using more energy and costing you more money. Filters range in price from $10 to $40.