Once the basement is adequately insulated, inspect the foundation or walls for any cracks and fill with caulk. Next, insulate the pipes in your basement. Use closed-cell elastomeric pipe insulation or a fiberglass wrap for hot water pipes. For steam pipes, use either a fiberglass wrap or molded fiberglass pipe insulation. The next stop on our weatherization tour is to weather-strip the windows and doors.
Weather stripping material comes in four kinds.
Spring plastic comes in a peel-off strip. Spring bronze is durable and makes a smooth surface for doors and windows. Rope caulk is a putty-like material for windows only. Door sweeps are installed at the bottom edge of an exterior door. If you have casement windows, weather-strip all four sides of the sash.