controllling heat loss - energy efficiency  

Field reporter Joe Lovitt meets with home-energy expert Dale Sullivan, who provides ideas on controlling heat loss in the home.
Each year the average home loses hot or cold air through cracks and crevices, which costs money through higher utility bills. Sealing some of these cracks saves money and makes a home less drafty.
Rope caulk is an inexpensive, easy-to-use insulation material. The clay-like caulk comes in a roll. Simply peel off a section of the caulk (figure A), and apply it to the spaces beside windows (figure B). It peels off easily, though it can leave a residue, and can be used again the following year.
Check windows to see if they're drafty by clipping a lightweight piece of plastic to a clothes hanger. Close all the doors and windows of the house, then go outside to determine which way the wind is blowing. Open one window on the side of the house opposite the direction of the wind. Now go inside and hold the piece of plastic in front of the closed windows and doors and look for any movement or fluttering of the plastic.
Plastic window kits are available to seal windows during the winter months. Simply closing curtains at night can make a surprising difference and lower heating bills.
Do not use silicone-based caulk around windows. This is a permanent caulk that should be used only in places such as the bathroom.
Caulk and caulk guns are inexpensive and easy to use. Using a utility knife, cut the nozzle off a tube of caulk at a 45-degree angle, puncture the seal on the tube with a nail, then load the tube in the caulking gun.
To apply caulk, squeeze the handle until the caulk starts to come out, then draw a bead on the surface being caulked. Apply the caulk in a smooth, continuous motion. Stopping and starting will result in an uneven caulk line. Stop squeezing before reaching the end of the line to prevent excess caulk from oozing out of the gun.
Seal up the entrance to the attic with temporary caulk if the attic is seldom accessed.