Give Ghosts the BOOt: 3 Ways to Ghost-Proof Your Home

If the cool fall weather is making your home look like a cozy haunt for ghosts, you’re probably wondering how to make them disappear along with the ghouls and goblins come Halloween. While ghosts possess varying degrees of ingenuity, the team at Best Pick Reports has identified the top three ways they enter the home as well as what you can do to prevent them from doing so.

1. Seal Drafty Windows and Doors

Do you get goose bumps every time you walk through a draft? Poorly sealed windows and doors make rather convenient entrances for ghosts. To check whether air or anything spooky can gain access to your home even when doors and windows are closed, try performing the candle test. Light a candle (go with one that isn’t surrounded by flame-protecting glass), and slowly walk around your house with it, paying particular attention to openings that lead outside the home. If the flame flickers or creepily goes out, there’s a draft nearby—find and seal the source as soon as possible. As an added bonus, taking care of air leaks and spectral points of entry will help you save on heating costs by keeping warm air inside your home.

2. Fix Bad Wiring

Flickering lights or other electrical issues may be nothing more chilling than faulty wiring, but if potential safety concerns aren’t enough of a reason to remedy them, they may also indicate that spirits are passing in and out of your residence. For instance, exposed wires are a fire hazard as well as a place for ghosts to infiltrate and travel through your electrical system. Additionally, committing electrical faux pas—operating too many appliances at once or using a lightbulb that requires more power than the recommended wattage of the light fixture, for example—can overload your circuits. Such unsafe practices create weak spots in your electrical system that may make it easier for ghosts to get inside your home.

3. Repair Plumbing Leaks

Cold temperatures are known for wreaking havoc on pipes. Not only can leaking pipes cost you a small fortune in wasted water, but ghosts may be able to take advantage of the insufficient plumbing support to gain entry to your home. While some experts claim ghosts are unable to cross water, others say it depends on the specter in question, so it’s best not to risk any potential leaky access points. Pipes that have frozen in the past are particularly vulnerable, but also be sure to check old washers and O-rings, plumbing joints, and other pipe connections.

If you’re unsure whether your symptoms are supernatural or just regular home maintenance issues, consider bringing in an expert to perform a home energy audit. You could also conduct your own energy audit. If you choose to DIY, check out the various types of energy audit upgrades. In addition to identifying the source of the above issues, a professional energy auditor will often do a thermal imaging assessment of your property, which will reveal any unexpected heat sources or ominous cold spots. Many Best Pick contractors specialize in conducting energy audits (although, when you call, you might not want to mention that you’re really looking for ghosts!).