'Baby, It's Cold Outside'

Temperature : 27 degrees Fahrenheit. Winds between 10 to 15 mph.

This was what the online weather channel reported back to me as I braced myself for the walk to my friend’s apartment after catching the subway from the office.

“Brrr, baby it’s cold outside,” I thought, as a gust of wind plowed into me like a tractor in a corn field. It could have easily been -10 degrees as I crossed 7th Avenue towards 34th Street.

It was much better once as I got to the apartment. But as I sit here now, on a couch with a panel of windows behind me, I’m starting to feel like that nagging cold has followed me inside.

Quick search on the Internet and I’ve already found more than 10 ways to insulate your windows – the key to keeping your heating bill low. (Did you know February is the coldest month out of the year?)

1. Can’t stress it enough, but blackout curtains are the no. 1 option to reduce heat by 25 percent and reduce noise pollution by 50 percent in your home. It is the most inexpensive way to insulate windows and with so many options in colors (from camel to mauve), fabrics (from linen to jacquard) and styles (grommet, back tab or tie-up shade) – the most visually pleasing.

2. A DIY project, draft snakes will insulate your windows at the seam. However, they will not insulate the glass or frame of the window. Buy draft snakes at a local hardware store or create your own by sewing some fabric around a tube of rubber (I prefer rubber over filling a tube with rice).

3. Weatherstripping. I have never tried this method, but low-end weatherstripping (see below) reportedly runs under 20 dollars with the cost of supplies. Could save up to 20 percent on your annual heating bill, but it’s recommended that you go for a professional weatherstripping if you want to really effect change. And that could be pricey.

4. Install energy panels. This requires some installation, weatherstripping to seal the panels, and a the more expensive option out of the four. The panel has two layers with space in between, creating a protective layer between the exterior window and the outside. I suggest taking the energy panel route as an option to replacing drafty windows.

Because baby, it’s cold outside. And honestly, I'd like to keep it that way.

-S. Gonzalez

*Photo courtesy of www.planetgreen.discovery.com; www.decorinnovation.com; www.apartmenttherapy.com