Saved $200 on heating oil last month with a simple trick I learned at the town dump

I live up in central Maine where winter heating bills can cripple you if you're not careful. Three years ago I was paying nearly $400 a month for oil and couldn't figure out why my house felt drafty all the time. Then an older guy at the transfer station told me to check my attic hatch. Turns out mine had zero insulation on it and was basically letting heat pour out like an open window. Last month I spent $12 on some rigid foam board and weatherstripping from Aubuchon Hardware, cut it to size, and taped it to the back of the attic door. My oil usage dropped by almost a quarter right away. Has anyone else found weird spots in their house that bleed heat without you noticing?

2 comments

2 Comments

fisher.charlie29d ago

That attic hatch thing is no joke. I did the same thing last fall and it made a difference you can actually feel. What got me even more was the rim joist in my basement. That's the wood that sits right on top of the foundation. I could feel cold air just pouring in there on a windy day. Bought a couple cans of spray foam and went around the whole perimeter. Took maybe an hour and cost under 20 bucks. That plus the attic hatch cut my oil use by about a third that winter. It's wild how much heat bleeds out of spots you never think to look at.

nina14729d ago

Rim joist is a game changer. Did mine and felt the difference instantly.