When the weather turns cold, you may wish that you could simply turn a cold shoulder to it, and shut yourself away in a sunroom until spring. Unfortunately, you know that, in order to stay completely comfortable when winter winds whistle, you must make sure that they will be whistling around, instead of through, your house. Although some people think that winterizing a home is a job for professionals, there are many things that you can do to keep the inside wind chill factor, as well as the calls to the professionals, to a minimum. Cracks that let cold air in ? and warm air out ? are the most common sources of heat loss in homes. While leaks around doors and windows are obvious, others may be more difficult to detect. Lighting a candle on a windy day, in open areas, can help you to identify the draftiest rooms in the house. However, when you go looking for the specific spots where air is entering near window and door frames, electrical outlets, and light fixtures, use the smoke from a stick of incense as a guide. For leaks under exterior doors, you can install door sweeps, or use caulk; gaskets are available for drafty electrical outlets. When sealing leaks outside, be sure to use weather-resistant caulk, or masonry sealer, if they are in the foundation, or other cemented areas. Besides preventing drafts, sealing up cracks can help to keep insects and animals out, too. One of the most basic measures you can take to keep out the cold is to replace your screens with storm windows. If you don't have storm windows, and your existing ones have only single panes, or are drafty, you will eventually have to replace them. Since this can be an expensive proposition, you may have to do it one room at a time. For the nonce, you can get some inexpensive, though very efficient, window insulation kits, which contain sheets of plastic, along with double-sided tape. You can attach them to the windows, then use a hair dryer to shrink-wrap them securely into place. They are not attractive, and can obscure your view, but they will save you money on your heating bills (which you can put toward new windows). In the coming weeks, we will explore more ideas that will help you to stay snug and comfortable in your home this winter. However, if you want to escape the cold in a cozy getaway, without going to Florida, you really can shut yourself away in a sunroom, from GazeboCreations.com. At , you can design your own beautiful sunroom in just a few steps. With dozens of options to choose from, including insulation, partitions, ceiling fans, cupolas, decorative sliding glass doors, and several colors of vinyl siding, shingles, and trim, it will be the ideal place for you to ?winter.? A sunroom from GazeboCreations.com can also be used as an entertainment room, a home office, or a guesthouse. You can even install a hot tub, and create your own, personal spa, where you can instantly melt away winter's chill. To see their entire gallery of sunrooms, gazebos, sheds, pool houses, garden bridges, and patio furniture, go to GazeboCreations.com. To contact one of their design consultants or customer service professionals, call 1-888-293-2339, or e-mail .