Keeping Your Home Warm in the Winer with Adhesive Tape

Temperatures over much of the country are beginning to go down, signaling to us more than the changing leaves or the blustery days that Old Man Winter will be here before we know it. Act now to keep your home cozy and warm over the chilly months.

There are several reasons why you might want to put a little effort into making your home more energy-efficient. Maybe you’re concerned about your family’s environmental impact and desire to decrease your carbon footprint by reducing the amount of energy you consume. Maybe you’re looking to lower your utility costs. Maybe it’s for comfort like you have a drafty home that could use some help staying warmer. It could be a combination of all of the above, but either way, you can use simple adhesive tape to help shore up your home for the winter.

Foam Tape for Adding Insulation to Windows

If you have low-tech single pane glass windows, or if your windows tend to let in a lot of cool air, consider adding another layer of insulation. Use foam tape to stick down black or gray foam to cover the window on the inside. You can even extend the plastic around the window frame to help cut down any drafts that are coming in around interior window trim.

If you’re concerned about getting the foam tape off from your walls or window frames once the cool weather passes you by, no worries! You can either use a blow dryer to help the foam adhesive let loose, or you can lay down gaffer tape, which doesn’t leave residue and comes off easily, around the window, and adhere the foam tape to that instead of your window frames or walls.

Aluminum Tape for Preventing Radiator Heat Loss

If your home is heated with radiators, you can help prevent heat from the element from being lost through the wall. Use simple aluminum foil tape to reflect the heat put off from the backside of the radiator back into the room.

You can also use this technique around your hot water heater to keep it from losing heat as quickly, allowing the water in the tank to stay warmer longer and therefore costing you less to keep hot water on tap.

Seal Up Ducts

It’d be a shame to lose the warm air coming from your central heating system before it even makes it out of the vents. Be sure your ducts are sealed up. You can do this by heading into your crawlspace, basement, or attic, wherever your ductwork is located, get your central heating running, and inspect each portion of ductwork for air loss. If you find a leak, use aluminum foil tape to seal it up and keep the heat you’re paying for headed where you want it to go.

Simple Tape Tricks Make the Difference in Weatherization

You can use the above simple tips to save money and the environment, reducing your energy consumption and making your home warmer over the winter. For more household DIY tips, check back on the Distributor Tapes blog.