Drafty Doors & Windows: The $100 Fix That Can Lower Your Heating Bill This Winter

Listen, if you're sitting in your living room right now and you can feel that cold breeze sneaking in around your door, you're not imagining it. And worse? You're literally watching your hard-earned money blow right out of your house every time your furnace kicks on.

February in Salt Lake Valley isn't exactly gentle. Whether you're in Sandy, Herriman, or up in Bountiful, you know the drill, those Utah winter nights can drop below freezing fast, and your heating system is working overtime. But here's the thing: you might not need new windows or a total door replacement to stop the bleeding. Sometimes all it takes is about $100 worth of weatherstripping, door sweeps, and fresh caulk to make a massive difference.

Let me show you how to plug those leaks tonight, and why having Your Handyman Pros handle it might be the smartest move you make this winter.

The Invisible Money Leak in Your Home

You probably check your bank account. You watch your heating bill climb every month. But have you ever actually held your hand near your front door on a windy day? Or felt around the edges of those bedroom windows?

Most homeowners in the Salt Lake Valley don't realize how much conditioned air they're losing through tiny gaps around doors and windows. We're not talking about obvious broken glass or a door that won't close, these are the invisible leaks. Even a small gap under a door can leak surprising amounts of air over the course of a Utah winter.

Here's what happens: Cold air sneaks in through these gaps, your thermostat senses the drop, and your furnace fires up again. Rinse and repeat, all day, all night. According to energy studies, air leaks can account for around 25–30% of the energy used for heating and cooling. That's literally hundreds of dollars a year going straight out the door, sometimes quite literally.

The worst part? Most people assume they need to replace the whole window or door to fix the problem. That's like buying a new car because you have a flat tire. In most cases, the door and window themselves are fine. They just need a proper seal.

The $100 Solution: Weatherstripping, Door Sweeps, and Caulk

Here's the good news: the fix is usually way simpler (and cheaper) than you think. For about $100 or less, you can seal up the most common air leaks in your home. Let's break it down:

Weatherstripping is your first line of defense. This is the foam, rubber, or adhesive material that goes along the edges of doors and windows to create an airtight seal when they're closed. You can pick it up at any hardware store, self-adhesive strips start around $5-10 per roll. The key is getting the right type for your specific gap and making sure it's installed correctly (more on that in a minute).

Door sweeps are those strips that attach to the bottom of your door to block the gap between the door and the threshold. If you've ever felt a cold breeze coming from under your front door, this is your fix. A decent door sweep runs about $10-20 and takes minutes to install.

Caulk is perfect for sealing stationary gaps, like where your window frame meets the wall, or around exterior door trim. A tube of quality exterior caulk costs $5-8, and you'll probably only need two or three tubes to tackle all the problem areas around your house.

Add it all up, and you're looking at $50-100 in materials, tops. If you're handy, you can knock this out in a Saturday afternoon. But here's where things get interesting.

DIY vs. Pro: Why It Pays to Get It Done Right

Look, I'm not going to tell you that you can't weatherstrip your own doors and windows. Plenty of homeowners do it. But there's a difference between slapping on some foam strips and actually creating an airtight seal that'll last through three Utah winters.

Here's what usually happens with DIY weatherstripping:

• The adhesive doesn't stick properly because the surface wasn't cleaned and prepped correctly

• The strips are uneven, leaving gaps in the corners

• The wrong type of weatherstripping is used for the specific application

• The door sweep is installed at the wrong height (too low and your door won't close; too high and cold air still gets in)

• Caulk lines look messy or crack within a year because the wrong product was used

When Your Handyman Pros tackles weatherproofing, we don't just seal the obvious gaps. We do a full inspection while we're there. Why? Because sometimes what looks like a simple draft is actually pointing to a bigger problem.

Maybe that gap under your door exists because your threshold is rotting and needs to be replaced. Maybe your window frame is pulling away from the wall because of settling. Maybe there's moisture damage that could lead to moisture or mold issues if left untreated. As a B100 General Contractor, our team can spot these issues, and more importantly, we can fix them properly without you needing to call three different companies.

Plus, here's the honest truth: we can weatherstrip your entire house in a few hours, and it'll be done right. Clean lines, proper seal, materials that'll last. For most homeowners, that DIY project turns into a full weekend ordeal with multiple trips to Home Depot because you bought the wrong size the first time.

The ROI: This Fix Pays for Itself Fast

Let's talk numbers. The average home in Salt Lake Valley spends somewhere between $80-150 per month on heating during the winter months. If air leaks are costing you 25-30% of that efficiency, you're wasting $20-45 every single month.

Do the math: even if you spend the full $100 on weatherproofing materials and a couple hours of professional installation. For many homes, the upgrade can pay for itself within a season. Everything after that is pure savings, month after month, winter after winter.

But it's not just about the money. A properly sealed home is comfortable. No more cold spots. No more cranking the thermostat to 73° just to get the living room to feel like 68°. No more wearing a hoodie inside your own house.

And if you're thinking about selling in the next few years? Energy-efficient homes sell faster and for more money. Buyers in Draper, Herriman, and across the Salt Lake Valley are getting smarter, they ask about utility bills, they look for signs of deferred maintenance, and they notice when a house feels drafty during the showing.

Stop Paying to Heat the Outdoors

Look, February in Utah is already expensive enough without giving Rocky Mountain Power extra money for no reason. If your doors and windows are drafty, you're literally paying to heat the neighborhood.

The fix is simple, fast, and affordable. Whether you want to DIY it with the right materials and guidance, or have us come out and handle it professionally (so you can spend your Saturday doing literally anything else), the important thing is to get it done before you waste another month of heating bills.

We service the entire Salt Lake Valley, Sandy, Herriman, Draper, West Valley City, Magna, Riverton, Bountiful, and everywhere in between. One call, one visit, and you'll actually feel the difference tonight when that cold breeze stops sneaking in.

Ready to stop the draft and start saving money? Give Your Handyman Pros a call and let's get your home sealed up tight. Your furnace (and your wallet) will thank you.

And hey, while we're there checking your weatherstripping, we can knock out those other small repairs that have been on your list forever. Just saying.