I just found this $8 door hack that could stop heat escaping and cut my energy bills this fall

(Image credit: Shutterstock) As we enter the colder months of the year, it's time to seriously think about getting our homes ready to battle the crisp weather.While there's 5 cheap ways to weatherize your windows that I use every fall, I've realized I also need to focus on my doors.Fortunately, there's a simple $8 hack that I've just found that should stop the heat from escaping and keep the cold out in the process.So, instead of spending money on an additional heater or paying out more on energy bills, you can save that extra cash for a rainy day (of which there will be many in fall).Check your doors first (Image credit: Future/Camilla Sharman)Before you carry out this hack, you'll want to check the doors around your home to identify where any potential draft problems are. Fortunately, we asked an expert for their advice on how best to check.Ilja Medvedevs, director of internal door supplies at Door Supplies Online, reveals: "Close the door and run your hand slowly around the frame, particularly along the sides and top."You can also hold a thin piece of tissue paper near the edges. If it moves when there's no obvious breeze, check that area more closely."Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips.She adds: "Then look underneath. If you can see daylight when the door is closed or feel cold air coming through, you've found somewhere worth investigating."Once you've identified a problem, then you can move on to the simple $8 hack to fix it.How it works (Image credit: Shutterstock)If you've identified drafts underneath any doors in your home, you'll want to find something to prevent them. But, understandably, you won't want to pay a lot of money to do so.While you may have a suitable draft excluder in your home already, it can make opening and closing the door a little tricky.That's where this affordable item comes in. DIY draft-proofing strips can be picked up from just $8 at Amazon (as shown below) and they'll seal off the bottom of your door with ease, taking about 2 minutes to install.They can be cut to size, attached with the strong adhesive already attached, and will effectively stop heat and cold drifting in and out of the room."For a small gap around the edge of an older external door, a suitable self-adhesive strip can be enough," Medvedevs advises. "Measure the gap first, as something too thick can make the door difficult to close." (Image credit: Getty Images)The edges of your doors might not be the only thing letting heat escape or inviting cold air in though.Medvedev also suggests checking for smaller openings: "Look at the letterbox and make sure the flap closes properly and any seal or brush is still in good condition."It may even be an issue with the door itself not hanging correctly that even the $8 draft-proofing strip won't be able to fix: "If the door has dropped, is difficult to close or there's a large uneven gap around the frame, a draft strip may not solve the problem. That's when you need to look at why the door isn't sitting properly first."And any draft-proofing you do now will benefit you all year round. While in the fall and winter it'll hopefully save you money on your energy bills, it'll also keep excessive heat out during the summer when you're trying to embrace the 'caveman method' for a comfortable home. Follow Tom's Guide on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds. Alternatively, you can read our content on the Tom's Guide app available now for iOS and Android. Subscribe to Tom's Guide on YouTube and follow us on TikTok. Finally, you can visit our dedicated Tom's Guide Savings Squad hub for expert help on getting the best products for less. More from Tom's GuideFed up with a cold home? Here’s how I used the ‘towel trick’ to keep in the heatAnother major winter storm is coming — here's how to check for drafts right now5 ways to winterize your home and save money on your energy bills Grace is a freelance journalist working across homes, lifestyle, gaming and entertainment. You'll find her writing for Tom's Guide, TechRadar, Space.com, and other sites. If she's not rearranging her furniture, decluttering her home, or relaxing in front of the latest streaming series, she'll be typing fervently about any of her much-loved hobbies and interests. To aid her writing, she loves to head down internet rabbit holes for an unprecedented amount of time.