10 Effective Ways to Keep Your Home Warmer for Longer
It can seem like a constant struggle to keep your home warm during the cold winter months. Fortunately, we're going to share ten effective ways to keep your home warmer for longer so that you can enjoy the added comfort and reduced energy bills.
Use Ceiling Fans
A great addition to any home HVAC system is ceiling fans. During the winter months, you'll want to have your fan spinning in a clockwise direction on a low setting. This will force naturally rising hot air into your ceiling, out towards your walls, and back down to the floor. This circulation of hot air can keep your home feeling warmer without having to jack up the temperature on your thermostat.
Work Your Drapes Correctly
If you have drapes over the windows in your home, they can work in your favor to keep your home warm. During the daytime, you should open those drapes to allow the sunlight to naturally warm the rooms throughout your home. As the sun goes down, you'll want to close your blinds to keep the coolness from your windows out.
Close Your Fireplace Damper
Your fireplace has a damper that helps to let you determine how much open air comes into your chimney. In the winter months, an open fireplace damper can allow the hot air in your home to escape throughout the day. It's best to close the damper and restrain from using your fireplace regularly.
Replace Your Furnace Filter Regularly
As your furnace filter becomes clogged with debris, it becomes harder for your furnace to force warm air through it. You should check your furnace filter every two weeks in the winter months to see if it needs to be replaced. Most homeowners will need to replace their filter every two months to maintain adequate airflow throughout their HVAC system.
Use Foil Behind Your Radiators
If your home relies on radiators for heat, you want to ensure you're saving all the heat they emit. One of the biggest wastes of energy is the heat forced out of the back of the radiator into the exterior wall. You can help to retain and redirect this heat by installing aluminum foil at the back of your radiators. This is only necessary for radiators whose back is facing an exterior wall.
Use Shower Steam to Your Advantage
Whenever you take a shower, that hot steam can be a god-sent for your home in the winter. Let the door open and allow that warm steam to penetrate the other rooms of your home. This not only will heat your home, but it will help to fight low humidity levels that lead to dry skin.
Install Above Radiator Shelves
If your home is heated by radiators, you can use strategically placed shelves to keep that warm air in your home for longer. Many times, the warm air from your radiator can rise too quickly to your ceiling. Try placing a shelf a couple of feet above your radiators to redirect warm air outwards instead of upwards.
Use Rugs
Rooms with hardwood, tile, vinyl, or laminate flooring can be cold on your feet. Simply walking across these floors can chill down your body and cause you to turn up your thermostat. A great way to combat this is to lay down rugs so that you can comfortably walk on them and stay warm while walking from room to room.
Use Door Sweeps and Weatherstripping
Cold air seeping into your home can drastically reduce the indoor air temperature. To keep your warm air around for longer, you need to locate any areas in your home that cold air is entering and block them off. Installing door sweeps at the bottom of your exterior doors can block out cold air. Additionally, weatherstripping can be applied around windows.
Keep Vents and Radiators Clear
One problem that many homeowners don't realize they have is that their vents or radiators are blocked. Something as simple as a couch situated in front of your HVAC vent can restrict the ability of hot air to enter that room. Take a few moments and check all of your vents or radiators to ensure adequate space around them.
Contact Us Today
If you're still struggling to keep your home warm, it may be a problem with your HVAC system. Contact us at Master Mechanical to have one of our knowledgeable professionals evaluate your system and recommend heating your home more effectively.
Resources:
https://www.familyhandyman.com/list/unexpected-ways-to-keep-your-house-warm-this-winter/
https://www.thisoldhouse.com/heating-cooling/21015334/how-to-reduce-home-heating-costs
