Winter is here. The house is feeling drafty, so you turn up the thermostat for a cozier temperature. This wouldn’t be a big deal normally except, when you get your next heating bill, your heart skips a beat, as it is way higher than usual.
We all want to be warm and comfortable inside our homes when a raging blizzard is sweeping through or ice-cold winds are bending the trees outside. We also do not want to drain our bank accounts dry in the process if it can be helped.
Whether your home is large or small, there are many simple, inexpensive solutions to help achieve a sustainable level of cozy cheer throughout the rooms of your household during the winter season.
Close Your Chimney
If your home comes with a fireplace installed, when it is not in use, close the damper on the chimney. Heat rises by nature. If it can find an outlet during its journey upward, it will keep going, and an open chimney makes for the perfect escape.
Update Your Windows
Windows can be notorious for heat loss. If they are older, they could be draining warmth from your home through old caulking or cracks in the framework. There are several fixes for this, such as replacing the old caulking with new, using putty to seal the seams, or if you can afford to upgrade, installing insulated windows.
Get A Smart Thermostat
Invest in a programmable thermostat, which allows you to schedule different temperatures in your house throughout the day. Instead of the heater blasting all day to maintain 68 degrees, you can adjust the thermostat to a cooler setting for times when the house is empty. Every degree lower is a 3% reduction in heating costs.
Heavier Curtains
Curtains on windows can serve as barriers to the cold, especially heavier materials.
Close Extra Doors
Closing the doors to rooms that are not used often. Especially shut the door to the attic, as all the heat in the house will rise to the highest point.
Switch Your Ceiling Fan
Although ceiling fans are generally set to operate counterclockwise which circulates cooler air, some are designed with switches you can flip reverse them into a clockwise rotation, which pushes warm air down.
Remember Extra Entries
Do consider that dog entries, mail slots, and gaps below the door can easily invite the crisp outdoor air into your home. A “door snake” for underneath the door–a long cloth sack filled with material–and a wool blanket draped over the wider openings are one way to tell that cold air and energy bill, “Not today,” and get that heat to stay.
Check and Maintain Your Insulation
Inspect the insulation in your house. Quality insulation in the floor, walls, and attic is one of the best ways to increase the efficiency of your home. Insulation helps trap heat for longer and maintains a more stable temperature throughout the house, all of which leads to great financial savings in the long run.
Bonus: Swapping out your sandals for warm slippers can also make a world of difference during cold weather.