The winter months can be a very stressful time. When you are focused on how you’re going to get everyone on your list a great Christmas present, a climbing energy bill can be your worst enemy. In order to avoid these high heating costs, you may be searching for ways to lock that expensive heat into your house. Well here are a few simple ways you can do that this winter.
1. Fix the Caulking Around Entryways
Our Entryways take quite the beating over the years. The average home can open and close their front door dozens of times a day. Each time you open your door you allow cold air to rush in. You expect this to air leakage to stop after you close your door. However, your door may actually be leaking heat constantly.
By taking a close look around your entryway, you can find cracks and holes in your caulking. In the winter months, your home creates a vacuum effect. This makes hot air rush out any tiny crack it can find. Chances are if you are able to visually identify a leak, heat has been escaping out of for quite some time.
Luckily there is a cheap solution for these cracks. Take a drive to your local home improvement store and pick up a can of caulking. Take the time to decide on a formula that will work best for your windows and climate. Then you can go home and apply the caulking to these damaged spots. Be sure to check the interior and exterior of your entryway to coat all the cracks.
2. Draft Stoppers
If you have caulked your entryways and there seems to still be an excess of hot air escaping, you may need to look towards a door sweep. Available in several varieties to fit your home’s decor, these door stoppers can be a huge help to keeping your heating inside your home.
Depending on your homes need you can use silicone or fabric door sweeps. In fact, you can find some very decorative fabric options! And you could even take the time to make your own using tutorials like this one. You can install these draft stoppers yourself for around $5-$20, depending on your choice in product.
3. Reverse your ceiling fans
If you have ceiling fans in your home, they may be sitting needlessly dormant during the winter months. Many fans have a “winter” setting, which reverses the fan so that it moves clockwise vs. counterclockwise. Since heat rises, the clockwise-spinning fan will push the heat back down into your rooms versus being trapped up at the ceilings. This is especially recommended if you have high or sloped ceilings. A simple yet overlooked trick that can help keep the heat circulating in your home.
4. Replace Old or Damaged Windows
If you have a house that is over 30 years old with the original windows still installed it is time to thinking about replacing them. Over time windows can take a heavy amount of wear and tear. From opening and shutting them repeatedly to installing window A/C units over multiple years.
If your windows are looking like the window on the left here, you may need replacement windows. To find the best options for your replacement you should contact the professionals. Companies like Thompson Creek are leaders in window installation and can offer a wide array of window options. Regardless of what options you choose, it is best to fix these windows to prevent any more heat loss during the winter.
5. Energy Efficient Curtains
If you know your windows are leaking air but don’t have the money to replace them, energy efficient curtains are a great option. These curtains will not only help you keep heat locked into your home during the winter, but they can also provide savings on your cooling bills during the summer too. This year-round savings and low investment cost give the curtains a quick payoff rate.
For the winter months, you will need to use your curtains strategically. Open the energy efficient curtains during the day if the window is receiving sunlight. Any use of natural sunlight during cold weather will lessen the need to run your home furnace. Close the curtains as soon as the sun has set to keep all the heat from escaping through the window. Closing curtains could save up to 10 percent in heat loss.
6. Put Those Blankets to Use!
If you want to stay warm in the winter, make yourself WARM! By wearing a sweatshirt, thick and soft sweatpants and wrapping up in a nice blanket you can raise your own body temperature without having to turn up the thermostat.
While layering yourself up may not help lock heat into your house, it can help lock heat into your body. So long as you are at a comfortable temperature, you can lower your thermostat to save money on your bill.
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