We live in a really old drafty house, so winterizing is pretty important for us. But most of these tips we’ve gathered for winterizing your house before the cold hits are relevant for any homeowner! I thought about titling this post ‘crack is whack’ because drafty gaps and cracks will have you shivering and wasting money through the whole winter. So let’s take these simple steps and make our homes more efficient! Mkay? Group hug!

*This post is sponsored by DAP. Thanks for supporting the fabulous brands that make Reality Daydream possible! This post contains affiliate links.*

Winterizing your House

1} Caulk around Exterior Cracks

When we really looked closely, we couldn’t believe how many cracks were around our exterior doorways and windows. No wonder this old house is so drafty! It’s such a quick and easy fix to hit these crevices with some high quality exterior latex caulk like Dynaflex Ultra by DAP. It’s formulated to resist yellowing, fading, cracking, etc… and comes in several colors to coordinate with your exterior/siding! What’s crazy to me is that once it’s cured, it’s permanently flexible to endure expansion and contraction caused by the elements. Who thinks of this stuff?!

After applying a strip of the Dynaflex Ultra, use one of these handy tools to scrape it smooth.

In areas where there are larger gaps or cracks, use Draftstop 812 Insulating Foam. Crack is whack. Get it filled.

2} Change air filter in furnace

It can be easy to forget, but it’s important to change your furnace filter before winter hits! Your airflow is restricted when you have a dirty air filter, and in turn increases energy demand (therefore affecting your wallet)! We always try to remember to put the date on ours so we can remember when it was changed last. Some air filters even have a place specifically for you to put the date!

3} Check and/or replace the weather stripping around exterior doors

This is actually a really simple process, and yet makes a huge difference. Even though we replaced the weather stripping two years ago, it needed it again! We knew because we COULD SEE DAYLIGHT through the crack when the door was closed. Our cold Midwestern winter would own us.

4} Clean out gutters

It’s amazing how fast leaves, sticks, and other debris can build up in the gutters. This tip takes literally NO DOLLARS, but does require a little time and effort. And you can avoid your house looking like this. You can’t tell in this pic, but Nick IS on a ladder. He’s not that tall y’all.

5} Remove Garden Hose

Disconnect your garden hose from the spigot and drain them in preparation for freezing temps. We wrap ours up and keep it in the garage through the winter. You may also want to shut off the valves and drain water to prevent freezing pipes.

This 5 simple steps can make a world of difference in the efficiency of your home this winter. Don’t cut corners! You’ll be happier, warmer, and won’t be wasting money unnecessarily on an inefficient house. Now get to it!