I thought the $8 foam gasket kit for my attic hatch was a scam, but my furnace bill dropped $40 in January
Our 1978 bungalow in Red Deer has always had cold drafts coming down the attic stairs, and I figured it was just part of owning an old house. Last fall I grabbed an $8 foam gasket kit at the hardware store on a whim, mostly because the guy at the counter swore it would make a difference. I sealed the hatch and added a piece of rigid foam on top with some leftover tape. January came and our gas bill was $40 lower than the same month last year, even though it was colder outside. I checked the hatch with my hand during a cold snap and felt zero air moving through. Now I'm wondering what other tiny gaps I've been ignoring, has anyone else had a cheap fix pay off like that?
Check your basement rim joists next, that's where old houses leak the worst and foam board plus spray foam is still a cheap fix. Also feel around your outlets on outside walls, those little foam pads behind the covers are like a buck each and stopped a draft I never noticed. Old houses are basically a bunch of tiny holes wearing a roof, so walk around with a candle on a windy day and you'll find your next $8 win lol.