No matter where you are in the world, everyone loves a screen porch or sunroom. When chilly days are ahead, it often means a rise in heating costs. As a result, many of us are on the lookout for budget friendly ways to keep the cold out.
It is possible to lower heating costs for your sunroom or porch by considering the addition of insulation foam. Even a little bit of insulation can go a long way in keeping cold air from seeping into the area. This can allow you to enjoy your beloved porch for a few extra weeks before winter truly sets in. Insulating the roof, floor, and walls is an excellent means to enjoy the maximum benefits of your favorite screen porch.
DIY Heat Lock-In
You might be surprised at how a tiny bit of air can drastically chill an area and cause your heat bill to skyrocket. When the wind whistles in through doors, windows, or screens, a simply stitched draft stopper can help.
When it comes to choosing fabrics to create draft stoppers, you can choose a pattern and color that you love. Whatever fabric you choose, make sure it has good weight and texture to it. You would typically want a heavier fabric to help lock in heat. Sew it together in a basic tube shape, add a filling of Polystyrene foam pellets, and then sew it shut.
Double Up
You can provide double the protection of a simple DIY draft stopper by using a dual-sided draft blocker. Instead of a single stopper, you’d join together two stoppers with a bit of flat fabric that would slide underneath the door. This would place a draft stopper outside of the door and a second one inside, giving you double the draft protection.
How to Make Single Door or Window Draft Stoppers
Supplies:
- Medium or heavy-weight fabric (how much you’ll need will be determined by your window or door size and how many you would like to make)
- Scissors
- Tape measure
- Sewing machine and thread
- Straight pins
- Insulating foam
Instructions:
- Measure your window or door. Measuring the space for your draft stopper will make sure that your project works, and will help ensure that you don’t waste supplies.
- Once you have your measurements, it’s time to cut the fabric. Add 4 inches to the width of your window or door for the appropriate measurement. No matter how wide the door or window is, cut the fabric roughly 8 inches tall. You should now have a long rectangular piece of fabric.
- Fold your fabric in half lengthwise so that the long edges are touching each other, then pin these edges together using a few straight pins.
- Using your sewing machine, sew the long edge where the pins are and one of the short ends. You’ll want to leave one of the short ends open to insert your insulating foam. Sew several back stitches so the ends are firmly sewn shut. You can do this by hand if you don’t have a sewing machine.
- Fill your fabric tube with your chosen insulating foam.
- Pin the last open side carefully so that no foam falls out. Then, sew the end shut, and remember to sew back stitches to ensure everything remains secure.
That’s all there is to making a draft stopper! These are fantastic around your windows and doors to keep the frigid wind from rattling through. These draft stoppers are great because they aren’t permanent and can be neatly tucked away during the warmer months.
Other Insulation Ideas
Draft stoppers are not the only way to use foam for insulation! Other excellent foam insulators to consider are Polyethylene, Crosslinked Polyethylene, Volara type 2A, Neoprene, and Minicel.
If your porch floor is made from wood, there may be spacing between the slabs. Sealing the spaces will help, but you can also install panels of foam along the underside of the floor to keep the cold at bay. Surprisingly, during summer, doing this can also help keep your porch or sunroom cooler! This can be done with the ceiling, as well, if it is accessible!
Insulating your screen porch can be easy when you consider using the right foam types! If you are looking for the highest quality foam sheets or want them customized, we are more than happy to help out!
