It was a great solution for my smart lock, except the flap wound up bending back into the frame. Ended up getting the "Gator Door Latch Restorer" and shoved flat toothpicks to shim the adjustment plate into place. It's been maintenance free ever since and no longer jams itself.
I have a steel door that radiates coldness. I used magnets to put a fleece blanket on the inside of my entire door in Winter. I was surprised how much that helped!
I like your idea. While watching the video, and reading your comment, I remembered those "carpeted" latch hooking projects. With a little cleverness, we could hang them over the fire place covers, and cold doors. We can then add some texture to help add some gradient and a 3D feel to it. I'd love to try this.
At 17:22, if you apply too much foam, don't try to clean it up right away. If you let it set up first, it's much easier and less messy to cut away cured foam. (Brad might've not had time to wait for curing while videoing)
Last winter we raised the temp in our entry area 20 degrees (from 40 degrees to 64 degrees) by adding weatherstripping around the door and caulking the side windows. Also added draft stoppers on the floor. So much more comfortable now. We keep our house at 69, so 64 isn't too bad. Thanks for the great ideas.
My grandmother used to make "draft snakes" as we call them in Dutch. A crochet snake, a little wider than your window, pretty loosely stuffed. You'd push it up against the bottom of a window to stop draft.
I made a couple for the bottom of external doors, where I used to live. It made a huge difference. I don't need them where I am now because heat is included in my rent and my external doors lead to heated hallways.
Brad, a trick I learned pertaining to the electrical outlet gaskets is to grab some plastic outlet plugs that you use when you have toddlers and take the gasket piece that you punched out and use those the seal the plugs that aren't in use. Kind of punch the plastic plugs through the gasket insert pieces and you're in business.
I was going to comment the same exact thing after watching this video. Great tip, and not that much more cost (as you can even use the foam pieces you punched out for the outlet cover).
Suburban Chicago here. I actually take my screens off. They’re full length on double hung windows. Then I put the double stick tape on the screen and attach the plastic shrink to the screen. It allows me to utilize my blinds through the winter. My family room has 8 double pane double hung Andersen windows. 2 at 28”, 3 at 32”, and 3 at 36”. Big difference in the winter an it take about an hour to do them all. In the spring I just peel off all the plastic and tape. Use a little alcohol to clean the surface and I’m good till next winter. Great video. Thanks.
I think doing that results in more condensation as the temp difference is higher. That probably depend on area and humidity,though. I used this in the up’s on my first home - a 1972 Bonanza mobile home. In Nebraska Air around windows accelerated because the glass stopped it! I just, a little. Anyway, I put it outside to avoid peeling the “stain” off the plastic (luxury) widow trim (failure). Film was always foggy with condensation. Didn’t do that on the inside.
I get the impression that it might be worth having a 2nd set of screens to swap out. There seems to be no need to throw away the plastic. For DYI versions, maybe just have the removable screen frames, and then put plastic on those.
Wouldn't you get a bunch of air around the edges of the screen still? It's not like screens are air-tight around the edges. The instructions for the shrink wrap tell you to attach it to the edge of the window. That shouldn't prevent you from using your blinds.
Long time viewer first time commenter. I wish I knew how easy that strike plate adjustment was like 3 years ago; I always have to pull on our entry door too lock and unlock it. With a smart lock this meant if you didn't have the right touch the lock would jam. I just tried this on my break while heating up my lunch and it was done and working before my food was. No more "special touch" to unlock and lock the door. Love your video's, thanks for sharing!
Thanks! Definitely a couple tips I've never seen before. When you were working on the door, it would have been cool to see how much of a different each step made with the thermal camera.
FYI just an engineer with a thermodynamic note here: it's not about cold getting in, it's about heat loss mitigation. Our concept of "cold" isn't anything other than the lack of heat.;)
I live in NC and invested in one the first summer in my house since the area around the attic “hatch” was way warmer than the rest of the house. Definitely worth it! Every single HVAC person who’s been in the attic since comments on how surprising of a difference it makes
If the window draft tape damages the paint, it's a bad product. Use wide blue or green painters tape instead. You can use it under the double-sided tape to reduce the paint damage for shrink wrap film as well.
@Oops-IMeantToDoThat good luck winning that battle as a tenant trying to reduce utility bills. There are plenty of adhesives that don't damage paint. If this one does, the manufacturer picked the wrong one.
I would also recommend you check the ceiling with the thermal camera - you'd be surprised how insulation gets blown around sometimes, leaving gaps in the attic.
@@Fixthisbuildthat Also seal all the gaps between light or fan housings and the ceiling drywall. You'll see dust on the insulation around housings because heated air is rushing into your attic. Blown or batt insulation is no good for air sealing.
@KE5ZZO I think it goes without saying that if you point the FLIR at the ceiling and you see no significant differences, there is nothing to fix. Definitely depends on area how common it is to fully insulate the attic; I see a lot of "hybrid" approaches here: foam under roof providing R-19 or so, ten batt/blown insulation along attic "floor" bringing total effective R up to 40-60 required range. Keeps the heater/ducting running through a significantly insulated space without the many inches of expensive spray needed to make it all to that level. Of course, my house is old construction so our ducting is all insulated itself (to R-8 or so) and running through the blown-in attic floor insulation to keep it toasty as it wends its way to the farthest bedrooms.
Check with the state where you live. A bunch of states have programs where they'll run a blower-door test to find out exactly where your leaks are, and depending on income, they'll pay for the weatherstripping. In any case, the weatherstripping usually comes off your taxes.
Good point on taxes: all these improvements can be applied as a 30% credit on your federal taxes (that is, if you spend $100 on stuff, you can claim a $30 credit). This was a part of the "Inflation Reduction Act" Biden passed, so I would take advantage of it soon before Trump removes is. States and localities may have additional credits/rebates.
thank you for sharing, that is a great tip on that strike plate adjustment, for my outlet I also use those safety plugs for babies for any outlets I am not using, it helps some of the air and stops bugs from coming through,
I left Florida and purchased a (1972-built) home in a small town near York, PA. There is a lot of work to be done to get this house up to snuff. My first project was to install a ventless natural gas fireplace. Good thing because my 20-year-old furnace stopped working. The entry doors will be replaced next. I've used the foam pads for the cover plates and the plastic shrink-wrap kit for the windows.
Backer rod worked great for the gap between bottom of window and the sash. Bought a 1/8 and 1/4 in. sizes and filled the gap easily to stop the draft. The 1/2 inch was a different texture and I could easily customize the size for gaps elsewhere around the house. Really makes things more comfortable! Want a meter now to check for any unknown areas!
its interesting to see the difference between US and UK building practices, in the UK UPVC double glazing is common so the window and door seals are often quite different. Lots of great tips though
FLIR tip: while the auto-ranging mode you have it on is great to show differences in a single picture, it isn't good for before/after shots (because the cold spots are still going to be darkest blue etc even if in the "before" that shade == 20º and in the "after" that shade == 50º). Instead, change the color range from "auto" to "manual" (the little up arrow at the bottom of the phone screen, then auto/manual, then "Manual"). Then, tap on the top temperature of the range bar and set that to some specific value above which you don't care (ex, your normal room temp), and tap on the bottom temperature of the range bar and set that to a specific value below which you don't care (for drafts, "outside temp" is a good place to target). Now, all your pictures will have the same range, and you can easily see "Oh, blue is bad" and have a good idea of what the impact is for all the changes you've made. Now, if dark blue is 20º and you see nothing but reds and yellows in the "after" image, you can *see* you've made improvements rather than having to remember and compare specific numbers.
North Florida here. I have installed storm doors on my houses. Helps in the winter and like the window you mentioned, you can lower the glass to expose the screen for spring and fall.
What I found on exterior wall outlets were that even though I used the foam outlet inserts you showed at 23:38, there was a stream of cold air coming THROUGH THE RECEPTACLE, meaning the slots and openings where you plug your plug in were conduits for cold air coming out. It wasn't coming around the receptacle, the cold air was coming THROUGH IT. I ended up having to use childproofing plastic outlet covers (that keep kids from being electrocuted) to block them off. Or I could have plugged something into them. That was surprising to me!
Super useful video. We rent a house with doors that you can walk underneath and the thinnest windows on the planet. So there's only so much I can do since my landlord won't. But every little bit helps.
Thanks for the tips. EXPANDING FOAM INSULATION: Clean up is easy. DON'T TOUCH IT until its cured and rigid. Then break off big parts & use a utility knife for the rest. And wear gloves when spraying it. It will get on your hands by just looking at it from across a room. Trust me.
Great video, thanks for posting. After seeing this months electric bill. I'm taking your advice. I checked door to garage felt big cold breeze coming in. Thanks for your help.
I've seen people comment asking what a cheaper option for a thermal camera is and I know a free one- your hand. It sounds kinda dumb and obvious, but the human sense of touch and thermoreception is very refined (they evolved to be, as creatures who didn't have this trait likely died of exposure before passing on their genes). You probably won't get an exact number, but just feeling around on your external walls and windows will let you notice "Hey, this spot just above the corner of the window is much colder than the rest of the wall. There's probably a gap there, I should check around the window framing and maybe get some gap filler from the local hardware store." That's how I personally saved an extra ~$150 on heating my apartment this year, with just my hand and a $5 can of gap filler foam.
Also, "laser" thermometers (the kind that put a red dot or two on the wall telling you where they are measuring) are quite cheap and will give you a good hard number alongside your "this is colder than that" so you can compare your "after". Just remember that as shown in this video, your body heat will affect readings, both if you've been touching something (to feel if it is warmer than something else) and if that something is "reflective" (in the infrared spectrum, which isn't necessarily the same as visibly reflective).
For a more practical consideration, rather than trying to touch every square foot of all surfaces in the home, there are loads of cellphone models that came with FLIR (or other thermal imaging technologies) that can be bought for cheap on ebay or Amazon. The older models work just fine as a nice thermal imaging solution to help quickly visualize energy loss. And you will likely find other uses for it as well.
You also plug in covers over an outlet that is not being used or add some foam where those outlet covers do not reach. Also caulking between the outside door and window framing to the siding.
Interesting video. I don't understand that draft from the electrical outlet. I guess since I'm from a place where the winters are long and hard we just build the houses different and have the electrical sandwiched between the insulation. And the faucet outdoors, that cover would not work one bit. I turn of the water and open the faucet to keep it from freezing. Or rather breaking when freezing
They make a really cool door threshold for the bottom seal that recesses when you close the door fully and when you open the door up the seal recesses back into the bottom of the door but you have to take a router and carve out a kerf in the middle of your door for it to work properly! It would be a good video though
Need to replace crappy door seal on all 3 sides, not just knob side! 45° miter or cut and overlap the upper corners. FLIR the top and hinge side door seal areas.
One thing I did this year was to caulk inside the storm window frames and put neoprene foam d-profile weatherstripping under the sashes. I didn't need to tape the bottom of the sash after sticking the weatherstripping under there. The only thing is that you have to wait for the weather to go over 40⁰F before caulking. I'm planning on having a contractor recaulk outside in the springtime. I have a 3 story house, and I don't feel comfortable doing it myself.
Look (or be "unmanly" and ask) in your hardware store. There are winter-formulation caulks (same as foam sprays: more expensive and not as easy to work with, but they can be applied in a much wider range, like 0º-140º for one I picked up this past weekend for an air sealing project at my house). May well pay for itself in heating bills compared to waiting for Spring!
Most doors and thresholds have some kind of rubber seal on them. If your door is leaking air from there and is still tight to the threshold, you should look for replacement seals.
@@jrod332 I'm not a contractor, and I'd call it a game-changer for me. That little flimsy nozzle that comes with the regular cans just doesn't give enough control. Way too messy.
You can also cut expanding foam that's been fully installed and become dry and stable. Give it a week to fully set, then go at it with a sharp craft knife. Cut carefully, because it's really really easy to make it look awful.
Friendly remindercif you are taping up windows, if that is your escape route in case of fire, you might go with a draft snake or use the easily breakable plastic film so its easy to get out.
0:33 - I just love to see these videos of American houses - they're fascinating. When I saw that door wiggle, I immediately got up and checked the front door of my 124 year old European house and tried it: It didn't even move a millimeter (that's a 3/64 economically-disadvantaged-inch for our friends across the pond). Also seeing how much heat is just lost through the door itself (not the seals) just shows how low quality American construction is. That door is made to save cost - or more accurately, to increase value for shareholders... This really isn't a hate comment, I just don't get how you all just accept this level of quality - or lack thereof.
Wow! Eurocentric much? Of course, many American houses are built with materials and methods that take cost into consideration, what you don't see are the homes that were built to a higher standard, those exist here too. Thanks so much for Euro-splaining that one millimeter is approximately equal to 3/64 of an inch, but do you need to add economically-disadvantaged to the discourse? Saying that your comment isn't really a hate comment belies the fact that inside American homes we try to teach tolerance and politeness, too bad those same virtues don't always exist in superior European houses.
@@suterfamily5578 Sorry, must have hit a nerve. I really didn't want to insult someone, it's just that I don't understand why you haven't all revolted yet. There's so much wrong with the US, but I guess you're all too busy increasing the value for shareholders, that you have no time to think how much you're all screwed over by the ruling class. Case and point: Your incumbent supreme clown leader :) I know that's not a polite think to say, but invading everyone who doesn't like your way of life isn't very polite either :)
01:29 Looks like the single skin infill panels in the door are losing you heat. Maybe adding that shrink film to the inside of the door (whilst retaining the functionality of the door) could reduce the heat loss.
Thank you for the video, you gave some great tips ! I’m interested with that thermal camera you used with your phone but didn’t see any info about it in the link description. Could you supply what it is and where you got it please.
There's plenty of options. You can see the Flir logo on the thermal camera footage. Flir makes some that plug directly into your phone that are a little cheaper. Though thermal cameras are usually pretty pricey, and most people wouldn't get their money's worth, really
Depending where you are, you may have a Home Depot or Lowe's Tool Rental Dept that would have a thermal cam. Where I am, it's $56 for 4 hours, or $80 for a day for a FLIR-i7 which seems comparable to their $250-300 MSRP cams.
Great video as always. I use those styrofoam faucet covers, they're ok but the rubber draw string seems to last < 6 months. Replacable with quality elastic cord like for clothing... but super annoying how cheap that rubber is.
Spray foam tip: Read through the directions to see what the application temperature range is. For Great Stuff, that is usually 60-90ºF, which makes it applicable in either a mostly-sealed area, or only during fall/spring months! Don't fret, there are other brands of expanding foam that can be used down into the teens or twenties, just not "Great Stuff". Ask at your local hardware store. From what I've seen they are usually a little harder to clean up and several times as expensive. Foam tip #2: Line up a bunch of "needs foam" projects and hit them all in succession. Even the "reusable nozzle" feature on some Great Stuff cans doesn't really work great. Having everything lined up in advance means you can get the "simple straw" cans (about 40% cheaper than the reusable nozzles) and get through everything with the minimal number of cans, versus hitting each area separately over the course of hours or days, where you will inevitably run into impenetrably-clogged nozzles. Last two: foam nozzle should always be on the bottom (as shown here, but I see others holding it like a can of bug spray), and if you fill 30-50% of the cavity then let cure, you don't need *much* cleanup, but what you do need to do can be done with one of those "snap-off" razor knives: extend a new blade "all the way out" and use it to make a cut nice and flat against the mating surface. Foam should generally *never* be left exposed; put it behind drywall or other finishes, or paint it after it has *fully* (see side of can) cured.
That tape works best for short term applications, like a few days. The longer the tape sits there, the greater the potential that it will damage the paint when it's removed. Leave it there long enough and only the paper tape will come off, leaving all the adhesive permanently stuck to the paint.
Around 13:50, you have rod mounts for drapes. Leave the blinds all the way up and use drapes. Matter of fact, remove the blinds, they're dangerous for children. Even if you don't have children, I'm sure others in your friend/family circle do.❤
I prefer to measure comfort related temperatures with units that have enough precision built in, that it doesn't require a decimal point. I also like units that neither 0 nor 100 will kill you, unlike Celsius, which is based on water freezing and boiling, or Kelvin, which is based on molecular activity. Neither of those have anything to do with human comfort.
Eh, for those visible gaps inside... I would just some Big Stretch caulk instead of foam. The foam would be for inside the walls, back in the gap. I also use foam for the outlet in addition to the foam outlet stickers. I would the straw stem inside the box infiltration for the wiring and get those gaps filled up. It is really important because if you're feeling air and you seal with the stickers, that air is still getting into that box and it will be humid in the summer... and it will corrode the outlet. I found this out when my daughter heard arcing from an outlet. Also, the plug holes in the outlet will still allow air to infiltrate.
With the outlet you showed: you might be able to put low-expansion foam *around the outside* of that electrical box to add insulation. *DO NOT* put it inside the box (it is not rated for that, and you'll make a royal mess of things). You often have drafts coming through electrical boxes because the wall insulation there is ill-fitting. Spray foam around the outside (even just along the one easily-accessible side) will make a much better seal. Watch out for knockouts where the wiring is coming into the box though, and again: this goes on the OUTSIDE of the box, not inside it.
Yes ! I just bought them for my exterior spigots and they work like a charm. A little costly but saves from having to remember to turn the spigots on to drip when temps drop low and then remembering to turn them off when the temps climb back up again.
I understand that it got dark so temperatures dropped but to me it doesn’t seem like the plastic window film did anything. It feels like using tape at the seams would be sufficient, less time consuming, and not as damaging.
@fadetoblack51 I know but hot air rises and cold air sinks so there may be subtle changes to his quick fixes but regardless it's content that may play well on the channel so I wanted to be supportive in suggesting it.
0700. Don’t do door sweep OR bottom. Replace the floor jam. There’s a rubber/plastic “bump” which adjusts to the bottom edge of the door, and it is left jam to right jam. Some can replace just the “bump,” others might require a new metal base plate as well. Take original to store to compare with new ones to find equivalent.
That wedge was installed wrong. It's supposed to go in between the casing and the new gasket you installed. It is meant to prop that seal up if the door is out plum helping the it seal.
And the gap between the house studs and window frame. Amazing how many are an inch or two, with only the exterior cladding and the interior window trim/drywall.
That strike plate adjustment already made a huge difference! Just adjusted this morning. Great vid!
It was a great solution for my smart lock, except the flap wound up bending back into the frame. Ended up getting the "Gator Door Latch Restorer" and shoved flat toothpicks to shim the adjustment plate into place. It's been maintenance free ever since and no longer jams itself.
I have a steel door that radiates coldness. I used magnets to put a fleece blanket on the inside of my entire door in Winter. I was surprised how much that helped!
I would like to watch that "how to" video next.
Back in the day, they used to glue corkboard to steel doors to help insulate.
It’s all about the air gap :)
I like your idea.
While watching the video, and reading your comment, I remembered those "carpeted" latch hooking projects. With a little cleverness, we could hang them over the fire place covers, and cold doors. We can then add some texture to help add some gradient and a 3D feel to it.
I'd love to try this.
🤣🤣🤣I just did the same thing, magnets 🧲 and a towel 👍🏻it worked well
At 17:22, if you apply too much foam, don't try to clean it up right away. If you let it set up first, it's much easier and less messy to cut away cured foam.
(Brad might've not had time to wait for curing while videoing)
That's why some have started the cooking show tactic: Here is a section of foam I applied earlier and here is how you trim back over-spray ...
Last winter we raised the temp in our entry area 20 degrees (from 40 degrees to 64 degrees) by adding weatherstripping around the door and caulking the side windows. Also added draft stoppers on the floor. So much more comfortable now. We keep our house at 69, so 64 isn't too bad. Thanks for the great ideas.
My grandmother used to make "draft snakes" as we call them in Dutch. A crochet snake, a little wider than your window, pretty loosely stuffed. You'd push it up against the bottom of a window to stop draft.
My grandmother had these, too! We got some off Amazon, and they're filled with beans or rice. Work great!
I made a couple for the bottom of external doors, where I used to live. It made a huge difference. I don't need them where I am now because heat is included in my rent and my external doors lead to heated hallways.
In addition to a snake my grandmother had a heavy curtain on a mechanism that moved it out of the way when the door was opened.
We call them draft excluders in UK but I think draft snakes is much more fun!
Brad, a trick I learned pertaining to the electrical outlet gaskets is to grab some plastic outlet plugs that you use when you have toddlers and take the gasket piece that you punched out and use those the seal the plugs that aren't in use. Kind of punch the plastic plugs through the gasket insert pieces and you're in business.
I was going to comment the same exact thing after watching this video. Great tip, and not that much more cost (as you can even use the foam pieces you punched out for the outlet cover).
I have done it to avoid my squirrel being shock. I keep them in place as I saw a huge difference in winter.
Suburban Chicago here. I actually take my screens off. They’re full length on double hung windows. Then I put the double stick tape on the screen and attach the plastic shrink to the screen. It allows me to utilize my blinds through the winter. My family room has 8 double pane double hung Andersen windows. 2 at 28”, 3 at 32”, and 3 at 36”. Big difference in the winter an it take about an hour to do them all. In the spring I just peel off all the plastic and tape. Use a little alcohol to clean the surface and I’m good till next winter. Great video. Thanks.
You can also make custom indoor storm windows with shrink wrap and a framing kit, if your windows are deep enough and you don't have the blind issue.
I think doing that results in more condensation as the temp difference is higher. That probably depend on area and humidity,though. I used this in the up’s on my first home - a 1972 Bonanza mobile home. In Nebraska Air around windows accelerated because the glass stopped it! I just, a little. Anyway, I put it outside to avoid peeling the “stain” off the plastic (luxury) widow trim (failure). Film was always foggy with condensation. Didn’t do that on the inside.
I get the impression that it might be worth having a 2nd set of screens to swap out. There seems to be no need to throw away the plastic.
For DYI versions, maybe just have the removable screen frames, and then put plastic on those.
Wouldn't you get a bunch of air around the edges of the screen still? It's not like screens are air-tight around the edges.
The instructions for the shrink wrap tell you to attach it to the edge of the window. That shouldn't prevent you from using your blinds.
Long time viewer first time commenter. I wish I knew how easy that strike plate adjustment was like 3 years ago; I always have to pull on our entry door too lock and unlock it. With a smart lock this meant if you didn't have the right touch the lock would jam. I just tried this on my break while heating up my lunch and it was done and working before my food was. No more "special touch" to unlock and lock the door. Love your video's, thanks for sharing!
Thanks! Definitely a couple tips I've never seen before. When you were working on the door, it would have been cool to see how much of a different each step made with the thermal camera.
FYI just an engineer with a thermodynamic note here: it's not about cold getting in, it's about heat loss mitigation. Our concept of "cold" isn't anything other than the lack of heat.;)
15 Cheaps Ways to Stop Head Loss Mitigation Through Thermodynamic Aanalysis just doesn't have the same ring to it as a title :)
@@Fixthisbuildthat LOL. Hey you never know. Change the title now!!! LMAO
There are attic insulation tents that also help a lot to separate the living air from the attic air. Super easy to install
I live in NC and invested in one the first summer in my house since the area around the attic “hatch” was way warmer than the rest of the house. Definitely worth it! Every single HVAC person who’s been in the attic since comments on how surprising of a difference it makes
If the window draft tape damages the paint, it's a bad product. Use wide blue or green painters tape instead. You can use it under the double-sided tape to reduce the paint damage for shrink wrap film as well.
Or old, or poorly applied, paint.
@Oops-IMeantToDoThat good luck winning that battle as a tenant trying to reduce utility bills. There are plenty of adhesives that don't damage paint. If this one does, the manufacturer picked the wrong one.
I like adding a storm door to add a layer of insulation to the front entryway, also.
I would also recommend you check the ceiling with the thermal camera - you'd be surprised how insulation gets blown around sometimes, leaving gaps in the attic.
yeah, i need to go up and fill in that area above the window. Definitely got shifted or just never had it
@@Fixthisbuildthat Also seal all the gaps between light or fan housings and the ceiling drywall. You'll see dust on the insulation around housings because heated air is rushing into your attic. Blown or batt insulation is no good for air sealing.
Not going to work on new construction they now typically spray foam under roof so nothing on ceiling…. So hvac is not exposed to big temps
@KE5ZZO I think it goes without saying that if you point the FLIR at the ceiling and you see no significant differences, there is nothing to fix. Definitely depends on area how common it is to fully insulate the attic; I see a lot of "hybrid" approaches here: foam under roof providing R-19 or so, ten batt/blown insulation along attic "floor" bringing total effective R up to 40-60 required range. Keeps the heater/ducting running through a significantly insulated space without the many inches of expensive spray needed to make it all to that level. Of course, my house is old construction so our ducting is all insulated itself (to R-8 or so) and running through the blown-in attic floor insulation to keep it toasty as it wends its way to the farthest bedrooms.
@@davidstewart1153 Do research before you do this!.
Check with the state where you live. A bunch of states have programs where they'll run a blower-door test to find out exactly where your leaks are, and depending on income, they'll pay for the weatherstripping. In any case, the weatherstripping usually comes off your taxes.
that's awesome, I'm definitely exploring that
Good point on taxes: all these improvements can be applied as a 30% credit on your federal taxes (that is, if you spend $100 on stuff, you can claim a $30 credit). This was a part of the "Inflation Reduction Act" Biden passed, so I would take advantage of it soon before Trump removes is. States and localities may have additional credits/rebates.
Thanks Brad. Very helpful tips for a new homeowner.
"New shop, who dis?" was a nice little easter egg. *slow applause*
I thought maybe I was the only one who saw that and had to slow it down😂😂
Excellent video on temperature control Brad! I am definitely purchasing those faucet covers! Thanks and stay warm there with your family! 👍👍☀☀
Very nice, thanks for this. Didn't know half of these products even existed.
I miss seeing you build something awesome!
Yoooooooo Brad!! So many great tips!!! Hoping all is well Bud, Dirty Jersey out!!
thank you for sharing, that is a great tip on that strike plate adjustment, for my outlet I also use those safety plugs for babies for any outlets I am not using, it helps some of the air and stops bugs from coming through,
I left Florida and purchased a (1972-built) home in a small town near York, PA. There is a lot of work to be done to get this house up to snuff. My first project was to install a ventless natural gas fireplace. Good thing because my 20-year-old furnace stopped working. The entry doors will be replaced next. I've used the foam pads for the cover plates and the plastic shrink-wrap kit for the windows.
"63 degrees, definitely some cold drafty air"
*me setting my thermostat to 63 so i can save money*
Hey Brad thanks for all the great info and tips! Stay warm!
thanks, you too!
Backer rod worked great for the gap between bottom of window and the sash. Bought a 1/8 and 1/4 in. sizes and filled the gap easily to stop the draft. The 1/2 inch was a different texture and I could easily customize the size for gaps elsewhere around the house. Really makes things more comfortable!
Want a meter now to check for any unknown areas!
its interesting to see the difference between US and UK building practices, in the UK UPVC double glazing is common so the window and door seals are often quite different. Lots of great tips though
FLIR tip: while the auto-ranging mode you have it on is great to show differences in a single picture, it isn't good for before/after shots (because the cold spots are still going to be darkest blue etc even if in the "before" that shade == 20º and in the "after" that shade == 50º).
Instead, change the color range from "auto" to "manual" (the little up arrow at the bottom of the phone screen, then auto/manual, then "Manual"). Then, tap on the top temperature of the range bar and set that to some specific value above which you don't care (ex, your normal room temp), and tap on the bottom temperature of the range bar and set that to a specific value below which you don't care (for drafts, "outside temp" is a good place to target). Now, all your pictures will have the same range, and you can easily see "Oh, blue is bad" and have a good idea of what the impact is for all the changes you've made. Now, if dark blue is 20º and you see nothing but reds and yellows in the "after" image, you can *see* you've made improvements rather than having to remember and compare specific numbers.
dang, wish I knew that before the video! Thanks for the tip
North Florida here. I have installed storm doors on my houses. Helps in the winter and like the window you mentioned, you can lower the glass to expose the screen for spring and fall.
What I found on exterior wall outlets were that even though I used the foam outlet inserts you showed at 23:38, there was a stream of cold air coming THROUGH THE RECEPTACLE, meaning the slots and openings where you plug your plug in were conduits for cold air coming out. It wasn't coming around the receptacle, the cold air was coming THROUGH IT. I ended up having to use childproofing plastic outlet covers (that keep kids from being electrocuted) to block them off. Or I could have plugged something into them. That was surprising to me!
Super useful video. We rent a house with doors that you can walk underneath and the thinnest windows on the planet. So there's only so much I can do since my landlord won't. But every little bit helps.
Need to relink this in the spring/fall when its warmer with a reminder like: "Remember last winter when your house was freezing? .... "
Thanks for the tips.
EXPANDING FOAM INSULATION: Clean up is easy. DON'T TOUCH IT until its cured and rigid. Then break off big parts & use a utility knife for the rest.
And wear gloves when spraying it. It will get on your hands by just looking at it from across a room. Trust me.
Great video, thanks for posting. After seeing this months electric bill. I'm taking your advice. I checked door to garage felt big cold breeze coming in. Thanks for your help.
Love the suggestions ❤
I took child proof outlet covers to stop the air leakage on your exposed plugs. It stopped all flow after the foam outlet covers.
Thank you. I really needed you.
I've seen people comment asking what a cheaper option for a thermal camera is and I know a free one- your hand. It sounds kinda dumb and obvious, but the human sense of touch and thermoreception is very refined (they evolved to be, as creatures who didn't have this trait likely died of exposure before passing on their genes). You probably won't get an exact number, but just feeling around on your external walls and windows will let you notice "Hey, this spot just above the corner of the window is much colder than the rest of the wall. There's probably a gap there, I should check around the window framing and maybe get some gap filler from the local hardware store." That's how I personally saved an extra ~$150 on heating my apartment this year, with just my hand and a $5 can of gap filler foam.
love this
Thank you, Jenna!
Also, "laser" thermometers (the kind that put a red dot or two on the wall telling you where they are measuring) are quite cheap and will give you a good hard number alongside your "this is colder than that" so you can compare your "after". Just remember that as shown in this video, your body heat will affect readings, both if you've been touching something (to feel if it is warmer than something else) and if that something is "reflective" (in the infrared spectrum, which isn't necessarily the same as visibly reflective).
For a more practical consideration, rather than trying to touch every square foot of all surfaces in the home, there are loads of cellphone models that came with FLIR (or other thermal imaging technologies) that can be bought for cheap on ebay or Amazon. The older models work just fine as a nice thermal imaging solution to help quickly visualize energy loss. And you will likely find other uses for it as well.
Another tip I saw if you are trying to locate a draft. Use a feather. The delicate fronds will pick up any movement of air
Thanks for the tips. I have most of the same issues with my home.
Looking forward to Winter now so I can try these tips out. Just need a video about cooling rooms now lol this Summer has been a hot one where I am
Honestly these same tips apply for summer, too. I live in a hot climate and we actually put shrink wrap on a problem window just to keep the heat out!
You missed fixes for a sliding glass door. To back yard or balcony (in my case). Any thoughts?
On your outlets you can drill a hole in box and shoot some of the door and window foam to fill behind the box
Thank you for sharing.
Do you have a link for the thermal camera you are using (Assuming you like it and recommend it)?
Looks like a FLIR One Edge.
I have one, it’s pretty great.
It's the FLIR One Edge Pro amzn.to/4jHYXSy
A little spendy but higher resolution and range
@@Fixthisbuildthat its one of the best in the market.
Thermal Master P2 looks pretty good and is $199 on Amazon right now.
You also plug in covers over an outlet that is not being used or add some foam where those outlet covers do not reach. Also caulking between the outside door and window framing to the siding.
Draft blocking curtains do work well
Interesting video.
I don't understand that draft from the electrical outlet. I guess since I'm from a place where the winters are long and hard we just build the houses different and have the electrical sandwiched between the insulation.
And the faucet outdoors, that cover would not work one bit. I turn of the water and open the faucet to keep it from freezing. Or rather breaking when freezing
You can also caulk around the receptical boxes. Pull the cover off and outline the box with a thin strip of caulk and put the cover back on.
Sealing up windows...... *fainting in germany* but what about Stoßlüften?! 😂😂 You need fresh air from time to time in a room 😂
When it's -20C (or colder) outside, you don't tend to open the windows...
They make a really cool door threshold for the bottom seal that recesses when you close the door fully and when you open the door up the seal recesses back into the bottom of the door but you have to take a router and carve out a kerf in the middle of your door for it to work properly! It would be a good video though
Thank you 👍
Need to replace crappy door seal on all 3 sides, not just knob side! 45° miter or cut and overlap the upper corners. FLIR the top and hinge side door seal areas.
Thanks!
One thing I did this year was to caulk inside the storm window frames and put neoprene foam d-profile weatherstripping under the sashes. I didn't need to tape the bottom of the sash after sticking the weatherstripping under there. The only thing is that you have to wait for the weather to go over 40⁰F before caulking.
I'm planning on having a contractor recaulk outside in the springtime. I have a 3 story house, and I don't feel comfortable doing it myself.
great tip! caulking the storm windows would definitely help
Look (or be "unmanly" and ask) in your hardware store. There are winter-formulation caulks (same as foam sprays: more expensive and not as easy to work with, but they can be applied in a much wider range, like 0º-140º for one I picked up this past weekend for an air sealing project at my house). May well pay for itself in heating bills compared to waiting for Spring!
@@tomdibble8983 Great tip! Thank you!
Most doors and thresholds have some kind of rubber seal on them. If your door is leaking air from there and is still tight to the threshold, you should look for replacement seals.
Great tips!
Ps, the fireplace blanket insulator will look much better after you've ironed it 😉
lol, this is true.
Great stuff has a fan pattern spray which would work great for that fireplace/pass through area
Nice, I'll look for it!
I HIGHLY recommend the pro gun for the Great Stuff. The cans are much more cost-effective, and it cleans up easy. It's not cheap, but it lasts years.
@@pleappleappleap I'm a contactor and have the pro gun. It's nice but for the average DIYer or homeowner it's not necessary
@@jrod332 I'm not a contractor, and I'd call it a game-changer for me. That little flimsy nozzle that comes with the regular cans just doesn't give enough control. Way too messy.
You can also cut expanding foam that's been fully installed and become dry and stable.
Give it a week to fully set, then go at it with a sharp craft knife. Cut carefully, because it's really really easy to make it look awful.
Friendly remindercif you are taping up windows, if that is your escape route in case of fire, you might go with a draft snake or use the easily breakable plastic film so its easy to get out.
could you please do one with a modern UPVC door style. they are beyond useless at keeping the cold out
0:33 - I just love to see these videos of American houses - they're fascinating. When I saw that door wiggle, I immediately got up and checked the front door of my 124 year old European house and tried it: It didn't even move a millimeter (that's a 3/64 economically-disadvantaged-inch for our friends across the pond). Also seeing how much heat is just lost through the door itself (not the seals) just shows how low quality American construction is. That door is made to save cost - or more accurately, to increase value for shareholders... This really isn't a hate comment, I just don't get how you all just accept this level of quality - or lack thereof.
Wow! Eurocentric much? Of course, many American houses are built with materials and methods that take cost into consideration, what you don't see are the homes that were built to a higher standard, those exist here too. Thanks so much for Euro-splaining that one millimeter is approximately equal to 3/64 of an inch, but do you need to add economically-disadvantaged to the discourse? Saying that your comment isn't really a hate comment belies the fact that inside American homes we try to teach tolerance and politeness, too bad those same virtues don't always exist in superior European houses.
@@suterfamily5578 Sorry, must have hit a nerve. I really didn't want to insult someone, it's just that I don't understand why you haven't all revolted yet. There's so much wrong with the US, but I guess you're all too busy increasing the value for shareholders, that you have no time to think how much you're all screwed over by the ruling class. Case and point: Your incumbent supreme clown leader :) I know that's not a polite think to say, but invading everyone who doesn't like your way of life isn't very polite either :)
01:29 Looks like the single skin infill panels in the door are losing you heat. Maybe adding that shrink film to the inside of the door (whilst retaining the functionality of the door) could reduce the heat loss.
A little paste wax on the window will help the tape come off easier.
Thank you for the video, you gave some great tips ! I’m interested with that thermal camera you used with your phone but didn’t see any info about it in the link description. Could you supply what it is and where you got it please.
There's plenty of options. You can see the Flir logo on the thermal camera footage. Flir makes some that plug directly into your phone that are a little cheaper. Though thermal cameras are usually pretty pricey, and most people wouldn't get their money's worth, really
Depending where you are, you may have a Home Depot or Lowe's Tool Rental Dept that would have a thermal cam. Where I am, it's $56 for 4 hours, or $80 for a day for a FLIR-i7 which seems comparable to their $250-300 MSRP cams.
I bought a cheap handheld thermal camera off amazon for 140 (looks like its 200 now)
Its not flir level, but its good enough.
ACEGMET Thermal Camera
The one I have is the FLIR One Edge amzn.to/4jHYXSy but you definitely don't need one this nice
@@tommy8716 thank you for the info and advice.👍
Great video as always. I use those styrofoam faucet covers, they're ok but the rubber draw string seems to last < 6 months. Replacable with quality elastic cord like for clothing... but super annoying how cheap that rubber is.
Can you recommend a reasonably priced thermal imaging camera for homeowner use?
Spray foam tip: Read through the directions to see what the application temperature range is. For Great Stuff, that is usually 60-90ºF, which makes it applicable in either a mostly-sealed area, or only during fall/spring months! Don't fret, there are other brands of expanding foam that can be used down into the teens or twenties, just not "Great Stuff". Ask at your local hardware store. From what I've seen they are usually a little harder to clean up and several times as expensive.
Foam tip #2: Line up a bunch of "needs foam" projects and hit them all in succession. Even the "reusable nozzle" feature on some Great Stuff cans doesn't really work great. Having everything lined up in advance means you can get the "simple straw" cans (about 40% cheaper than the reusable nozzles) and get through everything with the minimal number of cans, versus hitting each area separately over the course of hours or days, where you will inevitably run into impenetrably-clogged nozzles.
Last two: foam nozzle should always be on the bottom (as shown here, but I see others holding it like a can of bug spray), and if you fill 30-50% of the cavity then let cure, you don't need *much* cleanup, but what you do need to do can be done with one of those "snap-off" razor knives: extend a new blade "all the way out" and use it to make a cut nice and flat against the mating surface. Foam should generally *never* be left exposed; put it behind drywall or other finishes, or paint it after it has *fully* (see side of can) cured.
“New shop who???” 7:39 I can’t see the list word… great tips and ideas
@6:41 that corner seal is supposed to be behind the weather stripping.
For the areas where you need to apply tape, could you use a masking tape on the paint so you don't peal up paint later?
That tape works best for short term applications, like a few days. The longer the tape sits there, the greater the potential that it will damage the paint when it's removed. Leave it there long enough and only the paper tape will come off, leaving all the adhesive permanently stuck to the paint.
Can you deep dive on the outlets?
Around 13:50, you have rod mounts for drapes. Leave the blinds all the way up and use drapes. Matter of fact, remove the blinds, they're dangerous for children. Even if you don't have children, I'm sure others in your friend/family circle do.❤
22.5 is the perfect temperature. That of course is in Celsius which is the only measure of temperature to use . Since most of the world uses it
I prefer to measure comfort related temperatures with units that have enough precision built in, that it doesn't require a decimal point. I also like units that neither 0 nor 100 will kill you, unlike Celsius, which is based on water freezing and boiling, or Kelvin, which is based on molecular activity. Neither of those have anything to do with human comfort.
Eh, for those visible gaps inside... I would just some Big Stretch caulk instead of foam. The foam would be for inside the walls, back in the gap.
I also use foam for the outlet in addition to the foam outlet stickers. I would the straw stem inside the box infiltration for the wiring and get those gaps filled up. It is really important because if you're feeling air and you seal with the stickers, that air is still getting into that box and it will be humid in the summer... and it will corrode the outlet. I found this out when my daughter heard arcing from an outlet. Also, the plug holes in the outlet will still allow air to infiltrate.
Is trimming the door an option for the sweep?
yes, definitely. Or install a lower threshold
Guy here, tip - buy and use a blowdryer to dry off body after the shower. Its a gamechanger.
Hi from Norway! 🇳🇴 love your content. But. I feel lately this is not what I signed up for. So.. miss you. Take your time
What are your 3 favorite videos of ours?
With the outlet you showed: you might be able to put low-expansion foam *around the outside* of that electrical box to add insulation. *DO NOT* put it inside the box (it is not rated for that, and you'll make a royal mess of things). You often have drafts coming through electrical boxes because the wall insulation there is ill-fitting. Spray foam around the outside (even just along the one easily-accessible side) will make a much better seal. Watch out for knockouts where the wiring is coming into the box though, and again: this goes on the OUTSIDE of the box, not inside it.
Was the exterior door not hanging plumb? Would it have made sense to shim one of the hinges?
I believe the frame is actually out, because the gap on the hinge side was fairly consistent. But thats a great way to fix gaps
you should ck out the freeze mizer for your faucets
Yes ! I just bought them for my exterior spigots and they work like a charm. A little costly but saves from having to remember to turn the spigots on to drip when temps drop low and then remembering to turn them off when the temps climb back up again.
that's pretty sweet, never seen that. For those wondering: amzn.to/4aAgsQp
wow i would have never thought outlets would let cold air through
Yup. I found out when I was renovating my previous home which was built in the 1980's. The outlets were letting in a lot of cold air.
I understand that it got dark so temperatures dropped but to me it doesn’t seem like the plastic window film did anything. It feels like using tape at the seams would be sufficient, less time consuming, and not as damaging.
I think the top of the door is more likely to be warm because of heat rising and escaping while the cold air comes in from the lower half?
3:21 same seal, years of degradation.
Interesting. Florida Summer version in a few months?
Insulation is insulation.
@fadetoblack51 I know but hot air rises and cold air sinks so there may be subtle changes to his quick fixes but regardless it's content that may play well on the channel so I wanted to be supportive in suggesting it.
Definitely not free or cheap but I put storm doors on all of my exterior doors which helps to block the wind.
It would have been cool to see the before temp and after temp after each improvement.
Temperature won't change, but the energy bill will
0700. Don’t do door sweep OR bottom. Replace the floor jam. There’s a rubber/plastic “bump” which adjusts to the bottom edge of the door, and it is left jam to right jam. Some can replace just the “bump,” others might require a new metal base plate as well. Take original to store to compare with new ones to find equivalent.
Pro tip: Carburetor cleaner will dissolve the spray foam. You can use it to clean out the straw too.
What is that temp sensor you was using call
But, for wood burning Fireplaces, wouldn't closing the flue vent keep the smoke from getting out, and smoking up the inside?
Yes, that's why you need to open it again before starting a fire in it.
@@Dragonited 😂
So put down some painters tape before the sealing tape if you don't want to repaint your windows every spring?🤷🏼♂️
Your reflection shows heat!!! 15:34
07:00 Oh no... No. Cold doesn't get in. Heat goes out. Drafty houses obbey the laws of thermodynamics my friend 😁👍🏼
No, the cold will get in since the cold air is heavier it will go into whole the varm air rises to the top floor and most likley out your attic.
Shout out to jmg8tor for this wd40 tip I’m sharing,use it to clean up from the foam application tube and all.
How do you fix rlly hot homes no air con
That wedge was installed wrong. It's supposed to go in between the casing and the new gasket you installed. It is meant to prop that seal up if the door is out plum helping the it seal.
Subbed to your RUclips channel
It's not really cheap and easy, but everyone really needs to insulate their sill plates and rim joists.
Yep. Heating (and cooling) the house is more expensive.
And the gap between the house studs and window frame. Amazing how many are an inch or two, with only the exterior cladding and the interior window trim/drywall.
shoulda cualked switchs and outlets and then put on that insulation plate thing on