Instructions for Draft Stoppers
When the colder weather comes in, you can save money on heating bills by reducing the amount of heat your home loses through drafts. Getting your home fully insulated by professionals can be expensive and possibly unnecessary in climates where cold spells are relatively short. In such cases, it may be more appropriate to simply block the drafts that come in through the gaps at the bottom of external doors. This can be achieved by using a homemade draft stopper. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Scraps of material
- Sewing machine
- Dehydrated beans
- Sewing needle
- Thread
Instructions
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1
Measure the width of the door and add 3 inches. This will give a 1/2-inch seam allowance and an overhang of 1 inch at each end. Make a note of this figure.
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2
Cut out two pieces of fabric. The length will be as you have just noted and the width should be no less than 6 inches. For a fatter draft stopper, cut wider pieces of fabric. One piece of fabric will contain the stuffing while the other will act as a cover. For this reason, the inner piece should be strong and non-stretchy, while the outer can have a little more elasticity.
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3
Fold the inner piece of fabric along its length and along one end. If your machine has a "stretch" stitch, use this to give a more durable stitch. Otherwise, double up on the sewing. If you're using a needle and thread, ensure you make strong, secure stitches. Turn the tube inside out when you have completed the sewing. Repeat this step using your outer fabric. If using patterned fabric, ensure that the pattern folded to the inside before sewing.
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4
Fill the inner tube almost to the top with dehydrated beans, rice, sand or anything similar. The soft polystyrene balls used in beanbags are not suitable as they are too light. When nearly full, use your needle and thread to stitch closed before securing with machine stitches.
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5
Insert the stuffed inner tube into the outer one. The fit should be fairly snug.
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6
Sew the open end and your draft stopper is finished. Alternatively, you could add a zipper or buttons to the open end which would allow you to use a variety of covers to suit your mood and to facilitate laundering.
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Tips & Warnings
Velcro can be used to attach your draft stopper to the bottom of the door so that, even when you close it from the outside, the draft stopper will be in place.
References
- Photo Credit winter image by Marek Kosmal from Fotolia.com
