This Easy Pool Noodle Trick Can Help Keep Your Home Warm All Winter Long

Drafts that let in outdoor air may make your home uncomfortably chilly during winter, especially if you live where frigid temperatures are common. They may also convince you to turn up the thermostat since drafts can counteract up to 30% of the heat from the house's HVAC system and other energy sources. Fixing gaps between front doors and jambs is a good first step for addressing drafts. While you're at it, add an extra layer of cold-air protection to the bottoms of drafty doors. A winter draft stopper made with everyone's favorite versatile summer toy — a foam pool noodle — can do the trick.

A draft stopper is likely to reduce your heating bills by preventing cold air from entering the house and warm air from rushing out. This isn't the only way it can help your budget, though. If you make this handy tool from items you already have on hand, it becomes an eco-friendly way to conserve heat and money. You'll avoid buying a brand-new model while diverting valuable materials from landfills. Pair a pool noodle with a spare pillowcase to DIY a draft stopper for next to nothing. 

Fashioning your own draft stopper also lets you tailor its length to the width of your door, which creates a tight seal. Before you get to crafting, round up a measuring tape, a marker, and a cutting tool to help you make noodle sections that are just the right size for the door you'd like to draft-proof. Also grab safety pins, fabric-friendly glue, or an upholstery stapler for tacking down extra material so it doesn't bunch up when you open and shut the door.

Two pool noodle sections that are nearly as long as the width of your door offer maximum draft-stopping power. Push your pool noodle up to the bottom edge of the door when taking measurements. Cut one noodle section that's about an inch longer than the door's width and another an inch shorter, to help the door close smoothly. Use the longer piece for the door's exterior face. 

Slide the noodle sections into your pillowcase, pushing one toward each side seam. Roll the first section toward the middle of the pillowcase to tightly wrap it with fabric, and then pin, glue, or staple excess material in place. After that, place your creation under the door and use the roll-and-pin process on the other noodle section. Start pinning when the noodle is pressed against the door, then pull it away to finish. Make sure the door fits snugly between the noodle sections.

Don't have a spare pillowcase? Swap in a repurposed bed sheet, a long sock, or a piece of fabric with a lively print. If you don't have enough noodle for both sides of the door, try a different construction method. First, cut one noodle section that's as long as the door is wide. Next, carve out a pocket that's as wide as the door is thick. Then, slide the bottom of the door into the pocket. If necessary, trim the edges of the noodle to help your door close with ease. You may also need to shave some foam off the part of the draft stopper that slides into the gap beneath the door.