There are a lot of things to look forward to when the cold temperatures arrive: Refreshing your wardrobe with a new winter coat, sitting around a fire pit or taking a winter vacation. What isn’t as exciting is all of the home maintenance that comes with heavy snowfall and freezing temperatures. Aside from trying to clear your driveway with a snow blower or getting ice off your windows, your home may feel drafty or (worse) your pipes might freeze.
This is why learning how to insulate your home is important. I spoke with home improvement, appliance and HVAC experts to learn more about different ways to insulate your home with affordable and accessible supplies available online, like tap and sealant.
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The best products for insulating your home in 2026
All of the products below are either recommendations from our experts or NBC Selected team of shopping experts, or have at least a four-star average rating from 500 or more shoppers on Amazon.
One of the easiest (and most affordable) ways to help insulate your home is by using a draft guard, according to Lou Manfredini*, a home expert at Ace Hardware. Also called draft stoppers, door sweeps and draft snakes, these products are extremely straightforward: They block wind from creeping under your door and creating a draft throughout your home. With that said, there are a few different types of draft guards, such as this one from Grotheory, which has two long panels that attach to each side of your door.
Each panel can cover up to a 1.5-inch gap between the floor and the bottom of the door. The panels are 39 inches long, but you can cut them to fit your door. You can put a panel on just one side or on both sides of the door, and installation takes only a few minutes, according to the brand.
* Ace Hardware may earn revenue from any products recommended by Manfredini that are sold at Ace Hardware.
This door sweep serves the same purpose as the GroTheory one mentioned above, but it has a different structure and form of installation. Instead of two panels that block each side of the bottom of the door, this door sweep has two foam padded blocks that fit around the sides of the door, and the bottom is a small flat panel that goes directly under it. It works for gaps that are between 0.5 to 1.7 inches.
This type of draft guard is best for doors that don’t sit super high from the ground, but still let a substantial amount of wind or cold air inside. It fits door frames that are between 30 and 36 inches, according to the brand. Plus, each of the foam blocks has a cover that’s sealed with Velcro, so it doesn’t look like raw foam just hanging at the bottom of your door.
Another way to insulate your home, whether you’re a homeowner or apartment dweller, is using blackout curtains, according to Dan Raysby, an HVAC manager at Abt Appliances and Electronics. “If you have a home that is older and has old windows, installing thermal curtains can make a big difference,” he says. “Installing throw rugs or carpeting insulates and helps keep the cold out as well.”
These curtains aren’t only for blocking out light — they have thermal properties thanks to the way they’re woven and they have a sun-reflective coating that helps balance temperature indoors, according to the brand. And from a design and decor perspective, they loop on the back side to hide the rod.
BETA
Another effective and easy way to insulate your home is by using a peelable and removable sealant (called weather stripping), which usually comes in a roll, similar to packing tape or a material similar in texture to caulk. Manfredini recommends applying weather stripping around windows and doors, as well as caulking the base trim to the floor to reduce drafts.
You can apply this sealing tape around the edges of your window frame to prevent air from coming through. Similar to tape, you can cut it to the preferred length. This seal is also ideal for preventing drafts around window air conditioners, vents and door frames, according to the brand.
While this may resemble a form of crown molding, it functions similarly to caulk or a piece of weather stripping tape. It’s a polyurethane material that comes in a roll and has a wedge shape that allows it to fit securely between cracks. It has an adhesive strip in the back to attach to a surface, like your window or door frame. You can also adjust the length and shape of the adhesive strip to help it fit more securely, such as around corners or edges.
This caulk comes recommended by Manfredini* and functions in the same way as regular caulking that you might use to seal the edges around fixtures in your bathroom, except it is clear, removable and meant for window frames and vents. You apply it around the cracks on a window frame and allow it to dry for about 10 minutes. If you have to remove it, you can simply strip it away. Aside from drafts, it also helps block water and is suitable to use indoors and outdoors.
* Ace Hardware may earn revenue from any products recommended by Manfredini that are sold at Ace Hardware.
A separate option to try when insulating your home is a door frame cover, such as this one. The closures of the covers are filled with more than 50 magnets, so they seal closed securely. The covers are 38 by 82 inches (you can measure your door frame ahead of time, and if it’s slightly smaller, you can fold the hem to fit).
It only requires three steps to install. All you have to do is clean the door frame and then attach the fastener to the frame. All of the supplies required to set it up are already included. It’s also pet friendly (dogs can get through easily without tearing it, according to the brand) and it prevents insects from coming inside.
How I picked the best products for insulating your home
There are a few important factors to keep in mind when choosing items to help insulate your home, especially if you plan on installing them yourself:
- Installation process: Before buying any gadgets, consider the limitations and infrastructure of your home. If you’re a homeowner, then you have a lot more liberty to make permanent changes. For example, you could have a professional install fiberglass in your attic, which heavily influences how your home maintains heat, according to Manfredini. If you rent, then you’ll have fewer options, though there are still several renter-friendly options to try. With this in mind, I made sure to include products that are suitable for both renters and homeowners.
- Reversibility: All of the products on this list are removable when the time comes to move out or simply uninstall during a different season. I also included items that are relatively easier to install regardless of skill level.
How to shop for home insulation products
Before buying a home insulation product, follow these steps to help you make the right decision.
Consider your home type
Depending on whether you’re renting or own your home, you may only be allowed to use certain types of products or complete certain renovations.
For homeowners, the most important and effective place to start is the attic, according to Manfredini. If your home doesn’t have adequate insulation, “the heat you paid for is just leaving through the roof.” If you have a home with an attic, the most important thing to do is make sure it has a sufficient amount of fiberglass installed, which may be best done by a professional.
If you don’t have an attic or aren’t a homeowner, Manfredini recommends trying a few easier-to-install (and remove) products such as window sealants or caulking, like the Xfasten Transparent Window Weather Sealing Tape and Dap Seal ‘N Peel Removable Caulk.
Call a professional
While many of the products above can make a huge difference in the overall warmth of your home, for a long-term and reliable solution, Raysby also recommends talking to a professional to look over your heating and cooling system. This includes your furnace, boiler, air conditioner and the fiberglass installed in your attic.
Frequently asked questions
“The most common reason for uneven heating in most homes is a combination of poorly designed ducting and lack of insulation,” says Raysby. “This combined with oversized heating equipment creates the perfect storm.” This often leads to what’s known as “short cycling,” or when your heating system starts and stops too frequently, leading to cold and hot spots in your home, according to Raysby.
This, along with dirty air filters and the lack of regular maintenance, can lead to an unevenly heated home. Aside from trying some of the items above, Raysby recommends having a professional look at your system.
The best way to prevent your pipes from freezing once temperatures get below 20 degrees Fahrenheit with a windchill is to run the tap water throughout your home, according to Manfredini. This is especially important if the faucet is connected to exposed or outside pipes. “Any fixture that is on an outside wall should be allowed to drip water from both the hot and cold taps,” he says. “This will prevent the water from freezing in the pipes.”
Meet our home improvement experts
At NBC Selected, we work with experts who have specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also take steps to ensure all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and without undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.
- Lou Manfredini is a home expert at Ace Hardware.*
- Dan Raysby is an HVAC manager at Abt Appliances & Electronics.
* Ace Hardware may earn revenue from any products recommended by Manfredini that are sold at Ace Hardware.
Why trust NBC Selected?
I’m a commerce editor at NBC Selected, where I write about deal and sale events, including ones at home improvement brands like Home Depot and Lowe’s. I also write about home appliances, cleaning and organizing. For this story, I interviewed two home appliance experts for their guidance.
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