Caulk around the windows in your home to prevent warm air from escaping during the cold winter months. When the temperature drops, hold a lit candle in front of an old window and notice if the flame flickers. If it does, the window is leaking heated air outside, wasting energy as it goes out. All you need is a cartridge of good quality caulk and a metal caulk gun to apply it, so it’s a no-brainer and one of the best bangs for your buck. You can conserve energy dollars because it is easy to do, and the material and tools are inexpensive.
Operating a caulk gun can look intimidating, but once you use it a few times you’ll see how it works. Put the cartridge into the gun, puncture the caulk tube with a utility knife or nail, pull the trigger of the gun and caulk squeezes out of the tube nozzle. When you stop squeezing the trigger, the flow of caulk stops. You won’t find a better beginner DIY job than this one, because you’ll learn an on-the-job skill you’ll use many times in your life as a homeowner.
