Keeping your house warm during winter can be quite challenging. That’s because you’ll have to think of ways to prevent the warm air from escaping. In this guide, you’ll find a few tips that will address this problem.
During winter, people will always look for ways to keep their house warm while saving money. Homeowners have to spend $2,200 on their utility bills, where a vast amount is from heating your home during the cold days. You might find it difficult to save money while keeping your house warm, especially if it doesn’t have good insulation and is old.
In much older homes, thinking of ways to keep the basement warm is difficult. In this guide, you’ll learn how you can keep your house warm for your family’s comfort. Using these ways will save you money and ensure you’re comfortable during the cold months.
Table of Contents
Install a Programmable Thermostat
Having programmable thermostats at home will lower your utility bills, making it a more energy-efficient place. You can use the programmable ones to replace manually fiddling with the thermostat when you come back from home or every time you leave. Most AC and furnace contractors suggest programming your thermostat during the entire week if your house is empty during the daytime. For nighttime, set it to a temp you’re comfortable with.
Bear in mind that one study shows that cooler temperatures help increase metabolism and promote better sleep.
Keep Your Curtains or Blinds Closed
Once the sun sets, stop the heat from leaving your home through the windows. You can do that by closing your curtains, drapes, or blinds. If you’re living in a cold geographic area or home, you should consider getting insulated curtains that you can use during the winter months. That’s because they stop the warmth from escaping your home.
You can even use temporary rugs or sheets, even if it’s at nighttime while you’re asleep.
Have an Energy-Efficient Ceiling Fan
Most families will use ceiling fans at home, but they might not be helpful during the cold months. Modern fans already offer a “winter” setting, setting them to move clockwise than counterclockwise. That allows heat to rise. Because of that, your fans will push the heat back down instead of being trapped in the ceiling.
Homes with sloped or high ceilings will benefit from this. But other contractors still have reservations about this. That’s because the fan might cool the air too much. But you can try setting your fan to the lowest speed to check if it warms the room.
Lower the Risks of the “Stack Effect”
Most contractors refer to the “stack effect” as the air movement in and out of a house or another building, eventually causing large-scale chimneys. You’ll have to be thorough in handling the “stack effect.” One thing you can do to address is to seal the openings in your windows and doors. Light a candle and hold the stick close to your windows and doors to look for gaps. If it flickers, you might have a possible gap.
Or, hold out your hand to check if you feel cold air entering. Both solutions might seem trivial, but they’ll make a huge difference, especially if a few gaps are around the house.
For doors, you can use a “door snake,” but that can be challenging, especially if you’re using them on the main entrance. You can also use door sweeps that will seal any gap on the floor. For gaps on top or the sides of the window and door, weatherstripping will help minimize the possibility of a “stack effect.”
Make It a Habit to Close Your Doors
Make it a habit to keep your windows or doors closed. Because heat can’t escape, it’s warm in the morning. If you have huge, open spaces, you can use room dividers. It might not seem like an efficient solution, but keeping the gaps closed to prevent the warm air from escaping will help you keep your house warm during winter.
Or, you can also close the doors of frequently unused rooms. Besides, closing the vents in these rooms will allow the warm air to spread more quickly and easily throughout the house, further lowering your heating costs.
Be Cautious in Using Space Heaters
Using furnaces and heaters is one of the best ways to keep your home warm, but they can also be dangerous because they’re a high-risk fire hazard. In fact, they caused a lot of heating-related accidents. You have to keep your family safe. Firstly, be cautious in storing or handling flammable materials.
Make sure your furnace or heater is also on a stable and even surface. Never leave the heaters on when you’re away or overnight. It’s also best to only install appliances that automatically shut off when tipped over.
Now, you have access to numerous tips that will help you save money on heating costs and prevent the warm air from escaping a room during the winter seasons. You mustn’t ignore the tiniest details, including using extra bedding or warm socks at night.