By ALEXANDER SIMONE

Staff writer

Winterizing a house to save on heating is crucial even before temperatures dip.

Sealing windows with plastic, caulking, or foam is a good way to lower heating costs, said Jenny Pohlmann of Hillsboro Hardware.

“Putting those around your windows makes a big difference,” she said. “It doesn’t look nice, but it is cost effective.”

A window’s age and condition can help a homeowner decide how they will seal it off, Pohlmann said.

“With the older windows, people just buy plastic and cover them,” she said. “If you have a crack or wind leak, putting foam on the bottom of the window can help.”

Applying the plastic film is usually best done once temperatures start to drop, Pohlmann said.

“January is always the cold, windy time of year,” she said. “That’s when people really start to feel the difference. You don’t want to spend all your money on heating.”

Some homeowners like to take advantage of the cooler breezes in the fall, Pohlmann said.

“If you’re going to do that, you don’t want to open your window again once you do it,” she said. “You don’t want to do it too early in case you want to enjoy some nice fall air.”

Sales for window plastic are most common during November and January, which could have to do with the holiday season, Pohlmann said.

“That’s probably because no one wants to mess with it around Christmas,” she said.