The coldest season of the year can be tough on everyone — including your home. Winter will be here before you know it, so it’s time to start prepping your abode to handle the elements.
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Winterizing your home can help keep costly repairs at bay — i.e., pipes freezing — as well as lowering your utility bills. You might think this is expensive, but there’s plenty of affordable ideas that won’t break your budget.
GOBankingRates spoke with two home experts to learn about affordable winterization tips. Keep reading to find out what they had to say.
Pour Mineral Oil Down the Drains
- Price: $2.89 for a 16-ounce bottle of Up & Up Mineral Oil at Target
“If you have a vacation home that you close up for winter, mineral oil down the drains helps prevent fast evaporation of water in unused drains and sewer gas from entering the home,” said Kevin Goude, owner at First Choice, an HVAC maintenance and repair company in South Carolina. “Just pouring four tablespoons of mineral oil into each drain after running water for 15 seconds creates a protective oily layer that ‘seals’ the P-trap and water doesn’t evaporate that quickly.”
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Get a Water Heater Jacket
- Price: $34.99 for a Frost King Water Heater Insulation Blanket at Lowe’s
If your water heater is in the basement or garage, a water heater blanket is necessary, Goude said. It’s even nice to have — but not essential — if the unit is indoors.
This is an important buy, because water heaters lose heat very quickly in unheated areas — and those with poor heating — he said. When this happens, the unit needs to constantly cycle to keep the water hot.
Warming your unit up with a water heater jacket can save you up to 10% on energy bills per month, he said.
Replace Rubber Strip on Bottom of Garage Door
- Price: $16.78 for a Clopay 18-foot Replacement Garage Door Bottom Weatherseal at Home Depot
“Garage doors have a rubber strip at the bottom that stops the heat from leaking and cold air from sneaking in,” Goude said. “But since it’s made of rubber, it hardens and cracks with age, leaving tiny gaps that are enough to create a draft.”
As an added bonus, he said sealing the garage door tighter will keep insects seeking shelter from the cold out of your home.
Put Heat Tape on Pipes
- Price: $24.78 for Vevor 12-foot Heat Tape at Home Depot
Covering pipes in foam insulation sleeves helps them stay five to 10 degrees warmer, but that might not provide adequate protection in unheated spaces or drafty basements during a hard freeze, Goude said. Heat tape can be a good option for especially vulnerable pipes, because it warms them just enough to keep them from freezing.
Insulate Window AC Units
- Price: $23.99 for a Winston Brands Universal Cover for Air Conditioner at Wayfair
Your window air conditioner might keep you cool in the summer, but don’t let inadvertently cool your space down in the winter.
“Fully insulate window AC units with easy-to-install products like indoor air conditioner covers and insulating seals that work instantly to close off hidden gaps, reduce energy waste and even lessen noise and vibration from the units,” said Randi Bujnovsky, Duck Brand weatherization product manager at Shurtape Technologies, LLC.
Plug Up Exterior Sockets
- Price: $6.97 for Duck Brand Socket Sealers Universal Foam Weather Stripping at Walmart
Electrical sockets and switches on exterior walls can let drafty air in, Bujnovsky said. Keep the heat inside your home by installing removable socket sealers that fit snugly behind electrical outlets or the outer faceplate cover of electrical switches.
Editor’s note: Pricing and availability may vary depending on location.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 6 Affordable Hacks To Winterize Your Home in 2025, According to Experts
