Last winter my heating bill hit a number that made me physically wince. I walked around the house and found cold air pouring in under three different doors. I bought one of those fabric draft stoppers from the store and it was too short and barely stayed in place. So I made my own. The difference was immediate the thermostat stopped running every twenty minutes.

The basic version that actually works

You need three things: a tube of fabric, something heavy to fill it, and enough length to span the door plus two inches on each side. A pool noodle wrapped in fabric works surprisingly well and costs about three dollars. Cut the noodle to length (measure the door gap, not the door), wrap it in an old towel or scrap fabric, and sew or glue the ends shut.

The pool noodle version has an advantage: it is light enough to slide with the door when you open and close it. Heavy draft stoppers you have to kick back into place every time, which means you eventually stop bothering.

The heavy-duty version for big gaps

For doors with a half-inch or larger gap, you need weight. A tube sock filled with dried rice or beans is the classic solution. Two tube socks, actually one inside the other for durability. Fill the inner sock about three-quarters full, tie it off, slide the outer sock over it, and sew or knot both ends. A cup of dried lavender or cedar chips mixed in with the rice adds a nice scent and repels moths.

I made one for the garage entry door using an old pair of jeans. Cut a leg off, stitched one end shut, filled with a mix of rice and dried rosemary, stitched the other end. It has survived two winters and countless door openings. Cost: zero dollars.

Windows need them too

Draft stoppers are not just for doors. Double-hung windows the kind where both sashes move leak air at the meeting rail where the top and bottom sashes touch. A narrow draft stopper laid along that seam stops a surprising amount of airflow. Similarly, window air conditioner units leak around the edges all winter. Foam pipe insulation tubes split lengthwise and wedged into the gaps create an instant seal.

I also discovered that clear plastic window film kits cost about fifteen dollars per window and reduce drafts by creating a dead air space. They are not pretty but they work. I put them on the north-facing windows every November and take them off in April.