Keeping Your Home Warm in the Winter

Old man winter is back! While it may be tempting to keep your home warm and toasty, your heating bill will surely skyrocket.   Dreaming about how cozy it would be to come home to a warm house after a long, cold day may tempt you to turn up the thermostat, but adjusting even just a few degrees can take a toll on your bank account. Save yourself the money and energy, instead heat your home naturally without having space heaters continuously running.

Easy, Natural Ways to Heat Your Home:

• The sun still shines in the winter, so when it does open your curtains! Sunlight provides plenty of natural warmth, especially on a cold day- think of it as free heat! Before you leave the house in the morning, open the curtains of any windows that receive direct sunlight for a good portion of the day.
• On days without much sunlight, keep your curtains closed to prevent heat from escaping through the windows. Investing in insulated curtains will help trap heat in your home while potentially lowering your electric bill.
• Check all the vents in your home to make sure they aren’t being blocked by furniture. If they are, rearrange your furniture, at least for the winter, to make sure every room is receiving its maximum heat potential.
• If you have exposed hardwood or tile flooring in your home, consider putting down a plush area rug in the winter to keep heat from escaping. According to the National Energy Foundation, uninsulated hardwood flooring can account for up to 10% of a home’s lost heat. Carpets and rugs are far better at keeping rooms warmer.
• The larger your home is, the more expensive it is to heat. If you have any empty guest rooms or storage space, be sure to keep the doors closed. Why waste money heating a room that you don’t use. You’ll also want to make sure you close any vents in those rooms. By closing off empty or less frequently used rooms, you’re lowering the heated squared footage, which will help the warm air spread easier throughout your home.
• Utilize your oven. Baking and broiling meals will help keep your home warmer when the temperature drops. After you’ve finishing, turn your oven off but leave the over door open to let the warm air heat your kitchen and nearby rooms.
• Reverse the direction of your ceiling fan to clockwise. When ceiling fans rotate counterclockwise, it pushes the air downward and creates a draft. Reversing the rotation will pull the cool air upward and mix with the rising heat, making your room feel warmer.

Ultimately, it’s more about keeping the person warm rather that the entirety of the house. So, throw on an extra layer of clothing, sip on some hot tea, break out some warm blankets or whatever it takes to stay warm and comfortable. After all, comfort is key!