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Thumbtack’s new Fall & Winter Home Trends Report found that basement remodels are up by 76 percent, as more homeowners are reimagining these underutilized spaces and transforming them into gyms, offices, or recreation rooms. Basements, however, are notorious for feeling damp and drafty, especially during winter months. Gaps around windows and ducts, cracks in the foundation, and air leaks from pipes can lead to unwelcome higher energy costs since your home heating system has to work harder. To prevent this from happening, you’ll want to draft-proof your basement. We’ve pulled together the best products to help ensure your basement stays comfortable and draft-free all winter long.
Weatherstripping
Duck Brand Heavy-Duty Self-Adhesive Weatherstrip Seal
Buy NowAdd weatherstripping around drafty windows and doors to block air leaks. Duck Brand Heavy-Duty Self-Adhesive Weatherstrip Seal works well, is inexpensive, and comes in various sizes. It’s made with durable and flexible material, allowing it to stand up against extreme temperatures that cause other seals to freeze or crack. Use together with other Duck Brand weatherization products to make your home more comfortable and energy efficient.
Caulk Gun
Newborn 250 Revolving Frame Caulking Gun
Buy NowThe Newborn 250 is built to last with a handle made of zinc alloy to reduce corrosion. The tool features a hefty 18:1 thrust ratio to easily dispense medium-viscosity caulk, including butyl and acrylic. It also has a thumb release for dripless operation and a built-in cutter, which most high-thrust caulking guns don’t have. The frame rotates smoothly, making it much easier to caulk around corners, and the hand grips are very comfortable to minimize hand fatigue.
What our tester says: “The frame on this model rotated more smoothly than all the other units we tested, making it incredibly easy to apply caulk and sealant evenly.”
Expandable Spray Foam
Great Stuff Gaps and Cracks Expanding Foam
Buy NowExpandable spray foam is used to fill in small cracks and seal around basement doors and windows. The Great Stuff Gaps and Cracks comes with a dispensing tube that is rigid and tapers to a point, which makes it easy to direct the foam where you want it. It takes about 10 minutes to reach its maximum expansion, and it dries in a couple of hours. It also cuts smoothly with a serrated blade to ensure a neat finish.
What our tester says: “Gaps and Cracks wasn’t overly aggressive, meaning it didn’t exert undue pressure on the wood next to the gaps we filled. This is important if you’re filling gaps beside windows and doors because high-expansion foam has been known to push the framing material out of alignment, making it difficult to open and close windows and doors.”
Concrete Filler
Sikaflex Self-Leveling Sealant
Buy NowAny large cracks you find on the walls or floor should be sealed to prevent drafts. Sikaflex Self-Leveling Sealant is ideal for sealing both small and wide cracks in concrete. It can fill gaps up to 1.5 inches wide with ease on horizontal surfaces such as a basement floor. Once fully cured, it remains flexible as well as entirely submersible, making it suitable for areas exposed to water. Sikaflex comes in 10.1-ounce containers that fit standard caulking guns, or 29-ounce tubes that require an XL caulking gun. Simply squeeze the product into a crack to create a uniform finish. Fully cured Sikaflex can be painted, stained, or sanded to your desired finish.
What our tester says: “We awarded Sikaflex sealant the top spot because it was so affordable, effective, and easy to use. It went on smoothly with average hand pressure and no drips. It settled neatly into the cracks and formed a tack-free skin after a few hours.”
Door Sweep
M-D Slide-On Door Sweep
Buy NowPlace a door sweep at the bottom of a basement door to block out most of the cold air. The M-D Slide-On Door Sweep conveniently slides on without any additional tools or drilling to seal the largest gap at the threshold. Made from high-quality vinyl material that is durable and long-lasting, this door sweep has a unique U-channel design to reduce drafts, noise, and dust for immediate comfort. Able to withstand wear and tear for years, this door sweep fits snugly onto standard doors, ensuring secure and seamless coverage.
Foil Tape
SmaringWing Aluminum Foil Duct Tape
Buy NowDucts and vents can let in cold air if they aren’t sealed properly. SmaringWing Aluminum Foil Duct Tape is a heavy-duty, multi-purpose aluminum foil duct tape with adhesive backing suitable for sealing, repairing, and patching HVAC air ducts, insulation, and pipes. Made of high quality pressure sensitive adhesives, this duct tape sticks extremely well, is easy to tear, and leaves no trace of residual glue. This metal duct tape is also heat-resistant, moisture-resistant, corrosion-resistant, and waterproof.
Window Insulation Kit
3M Indoor Window Insulator Kit
Buy NowAdding a window film can help address heat loss. The 3M Window Insulator Kit is a plastic-based window film and tape kit to reduce drafts. The film comes in one cut-to-fit sheet that measures 17.5 feet long by 5.16 feet wide, which is enough to cover up to five windows measuring 5 feet long by 3 feet wide. This relatively thick film provides enhanced insulation due to its thickness. It comes with a roll of double-sided tape to facilitate installation and ensure it stays in place all season.
What our tester says: “This was my favorite kit to install. This kit allowed me to reposition the plastic a few times before pressing it down and heating it. Also, the kit does cover a lot of square footage, but the ends of the sheet can be tough, so it’s important to take your time. After I finished installing the kit, removing wrinkles was extremely easy.”
Draft Stopper
Maxtid Adjustable Door Draft Stopper
Buy NowDraft stoppers or guards help prevent heat loss under a door by attaching to, sliding under, or sitting in front of the door to block the small cracks and gaps that let cold air in and heated air out. The Maxtid Adjustable Door Draft Stopper is lightweight, easy to use, effective, and inexpensive. Installation is straightforward and quick. The Velcro helps the piece stay in place when you open and close the door, which is ideal for high-traffic areas. It’s made of polyester fabric that can be easily trimmed with scissors to fit other door sizes. The guard is available in multiple colors, including black, brown, dark brown, gray, and white, which helps it blend in with any door.
What our tester says: “Despite some online reviews saying this was difficult to install, it took me a total of five minutes and was very straightforward. At first I thought it would be unattractive but once it was installed, I could barely notice it.”
