The Big Melt – Global Warming

One person cannot prevent global warming but if one person starts and other people around you see the simple changes you are making they can also follow your example. There are many simple ways that each one of us can cut back to help prevent global warming or reduce the amount of greenhouse gases you are personally responsible for generating out into the environment.

One of these steps is to try to prevent global warming by stopping any drafts that are in your home. Check your windows and doors to make sure they are draft free. The small gaps in your doors and windows can cause you to use a lot more energy whether it is heating or cooling. Not only does it allow cool or hot air to come into your home it also allows your home’s heating and cooling to seep through these small gaps in your windows and doors.

One way you can check your windows and doors for drafts on a very cold day is that you can run your hand along the edges of the door and windows to see if you can feel any cool air. If you do find places that are allowing air to sneak in and out of your home you can add weather stripping that you can purchase from your local hardware store or department store and install it yourself as needed.
You can also purchase door and window draft blockers or draft stoppers. These come in a huge variety of fabric patterns and animal designs. They are usually stuffed with sand, cotton, or some other batting material and they fit snugly up against the bottom of your doors and windows to help keep the drafts out of your house. These draft stoppers for your doors and windows are also easy to make yourself. You can find many different patterns and ideas online if you want to create your own draft stoppers.

More ways to prevent these drafts is to purchase energy efficient double glazed windows and doors. You can also use sealants, caulking compounds and roof coatings to help prevent drafts and leaks from your home. Sealing your home is most likely the least costly and simplest way to prevent drafts and leaks. All crevices, cracks or connections except the edges of the siding panels should be sealed to help prevent drafts. If your old caulk does not have a rubbery consistency when you poke it with a screwdriver, then you will need to replace it as a regular preventative measure to stop drafts.
Some of the sealants that you can use to prevent these drafts are silicone, acrylic latex, vinyl latex, oil-based caulk, expandable foam, aluminum based roof coating, white roof coating and patching cement. All of these are great sealants that can help you prevent global warming but stopping any drafts that may be in your home.

This is not a very hard or expensive step that each one of us can do to help prevent global warming and it will also help us save on our energy costs.