Weatherproofing your home, Part 2: Around the house

It's not only the exterior of your home that can be weatherproofed for the coming cold season, you can take care of a few tasks inside your house too!

Taking measures inside can help to keep the heat in and the cold out, while also saving you and your family money on energy.

Heavy drapes

If your curtains are of the thin, flimsy variety, it may be time to upgrade to a set of heavy ones for winter!

Heavier drapes - or shades - can help to keep out cold air and drafts. It's essential to close the drapes at night and open them up in the daytime to use the sun's heat to warm up your home.

Hot water heater blanket

Get an insulated blanket specifically designed for hot water heaters to help save energy and money.

Using a blanket can help to reduce heat lost through the sides by 25 to 40 per cent, which can help to save you more money on your energy bills.

Plumbing

Winter can bring on an onset of problems with plumbing, so if you have any exposed water pipes in uninsulated spaces, make sure to at least use foam insulation.

This ideally involves wrapping them with electrical heating tape first and then insulating them.