The winter-ready home
Cold weather is where most homes spend the most. The good news: the fixes that help most are the cheapest ones, and they come in a sensible order.
Step 1: find the drafts
On a windy day, hold the back of your hand near the usual suspects: the attic hatch, the top of the basement walls where the house sits on the foundation (the rim joist), around pipes and wires that pass through walls, recessed ceiling lights, the fireplace damper, and the edges of exterior doors. Anywhere you feel moving air, heat is escaping. A professional blower-door test finds the same leaks with a fan and a pressure gauge, and many utilities include one in a home energy assessment.
Step 2: seal, then insulate, in that order
Insulation slows heat moving through a material. It does almost nothing against air blowing past it. That is why sealing comes first: caulk and foam at the gaps you found, weatherstripping on doors, a gasket on the attic hatch. Then insulation, starting with the attic, which is usually the cheapest place to add a lot.
| Fix | Typical cost level | Typical impact | Do it yourself? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caulk, foam and weatherstripping | Low | High for the money | Often yes |
| Attic hatch gasket and cover | Low | Noticeable | Yes |
| Attic insulation top-up | Moderate | High | Sometimes |
| Rim joist sealing and insulation | Moderate | Noticeable | Usually a contractor |
| Wall insulation (dense-pack) | Higher | High in older homes | Contractor |
| Replacement windows | Highest | Modest unless old windows are failing | Contractor |
Step 3: the thermostat
A lower setting while you sleep or are out saves energy; the house simply loses less heat at a lower temperature. A programmable or smart thermostat makes the setback automatic. One exception: homes heated by a heat pump should use small setbacks, or none, so the less efficient backup heat does not run during recovery. The heat pump guide covers this.
Step 4: the heating system itself
Service it before winter: a clean filter, a checked burner or coil, and clear vents. If a furnace or boiler is near the end of its life, the decision is bigger than a like-for-like replacement. Modern heat pumps work well in cold climates and heat and cool with one system; a high-efficiency furnace is still a sound choice in some homes. Get a load calculation (contractors call it a Manual J) so the new system is sized to the house, not copied from the old unit.
Step 5: hot water and the small stuff
- Set the water heater to a moderate temperature and insulate the first metre of hot pipe.
- Close the fireplace damper when it is not in use; an open damper is a hole in the roof.
- Use the sun: open south-facing blinds by day, close all blinds at night.
- Reverse ceiling fans to push warm air down.
Where programs fit in
Air sealing, insulation, heat pumps, heat-pump water heaters and home energy assessments are the measures that utility and state programs most often support. Terms vary a great deal by state and utility, and some programs require an assessment or an approved contractor before the work starts. Read Rebates, explained, and check current terms before you book anyone.