Diy Mail Slot Draft Stopper
DIY Draft Stoppers (also called draft blockers, door snakes, or draft dodgers) are an easy and inexpensive way to cover cracks at the base of doors and windows. Blocking these cracks to the outside air can help you and your family stay warm and cozy when it’s cold outside. Mark the height. Use a measuring tape to measure up from the bottom of the door to the center point at the height you've chosen. Now measure that same distance a few inches to left and right of the center point. The three guide marks will ensure the mail slot is level. Draft stoppers — also called draft blockers, draft dodgers or door/window snakes — are simple. They’re tubes made of fabric and filled with an insulating material. You place them at the base of your windows or doors, where most energy leaks happen. Making your own draft stopper is a fun, simple DIY project that took me less than an hour.
This week, while looking through Avista’s DIY Home Energy Savings Tips, one item stood out to me. “Find and plug draft leaks.” This is advice not only for the winter months, but in the summer, when we are trying so hard to keep the house cool while the temperature reaches 100 degrees outside.
The disadvantage of having a mail slot is that it also allows warm or cold-conditioned air out and a small amount of noise in. There are basically three ways to insulate your mail slot. Temporary insulation lets you use the existing slot, but provides weaker insulation than the other methods. Begin at the closed end of the tube. Insert the handle end of a spoon or other blunt-ended tool (even a pencil will do) into the closed end. This can be a little tricky to get started. Working with your fingers, manipulate the tool through the full length of the tube until the spoon brings the closed end out the open end.
My old 1910 house leaks like a sieve, and this is an ongoing project for me. A couple of weeks ago, I placed gaskets inside my electrical outlets and light switches. Before that, I installed door sweeps along the bottom of my front and back doors.
Diy Mail Slot Draft Stopper Rounds
We moved into my house in January 2019. It was cold outside, and we kept feeling a large draft near the stairs.
Diy Mail Slot Draft Stopper Box
It was the mail slot on the wall next to the front door. One tiny metal flap that taps against the house when it’s windy is doing a fairly poor job of keeping out the drafts.
Our initial solution was to stuff paper towels in the slot. But after the mail comes, if we’re not home that doesn’t do us much good, since the paper towels and the mail are now on the floor.
I’ve been looking for something to cover this with since we moved in. I’ve checked hardware stores and searched on the internet, but I haven’t really found a good cover for these. I finally found something online that I hope will work.
It’s a mail bag. Its made from quite thick material, so I’m pretty sure it can keep out the drafts. I placed two Velcro strips above and below the mail slot. Then I attached the bag. Super easy solution—It didn’t even require me to use any tools.
This solution is also pretty handy, since it collects the mail in a bag instead of all over the floor.
Lisa, an Avista customer, bought her 1910 house because she loved the old-world character, some of which doesn’t make her house very energy efficient. Lisa is sharing her experience on taking some simple do-it-yourself improvements to inspire others to do the same. You’ll find her stories right here every Tuesday morning.