With energy prices rising and temperatures dropping every year, more and more people are finding it more difficult to heat their homes during winter. In many cases, families have to sacrifice heat and comfort just to ensure their energy bills don’t destroy their budgets.
Your home should protect you and your family against the elements. It keeps you dry during the wet seasons and shields you from the sun during the hot summer months, but it goes beyond that. Your well-being depends on whether your home can protect you during adverse weather conditions which is why you need to take a closer look at your home and take steps to winter-proof it. And we’re not talking about furnace repair, although that would certainly help.
You need to keep your home as warm as possible for you and your family. Luckily, there are ways to do that without touching the thermostat. Here are a few pointers for winter-proofing your home:
1. Take advantage of curtains
Double-glazed windows do a great job of insulating spaces and lowering energy bills, but not all homes have them. If you live in a home with single-glazed windows, you can still keep your home insulated by using blinds and curtains at night.
The thicker the curtains, the better. You can even use two sets of curtains for maximum effect. Alternatively, you can buy a curtain liner or line your existing curtains with an insulating material to keep the heat in. Just make sure to keep your curtains or blinds open during the day to let the sun in.
2. Only heat rooms you use
Heating your entire home when you only use a few rooms is a major energy and money sink. One quick way to keep your heating costs down is to only heat areas that you and your family often use such as bedrooms, the living room, and the kitchen. You also need to keep unheated rooms closed to minimize heat loss.
3. Seal your doors
Gaps around your doors can lead to drafts, which affects your home’s energy efficiency. Drafts often act as a vent into the outdoors, which means your home’s HVAC system needs to produce expend more energy to compensate for the loss of heat. To keep the heat from leaking out, seal your room by using door snakes or draft excluders. You can also use an old blanket as a temporary measure.
4. Check windows and door frames
Make it a point to inspect windows and door frames for any cracks and gaps that could lead to leaks. If you do find any, seal the leaks with insulating strips which you can find at any home improvement store. You also might want to secure pet doors and keyholes during winter.
Keep air vents open and exposed, however. Air vents ensure ensures optimal airflow within the home and you could be at risk of carbon monoxide poisoning if you seal them.
Keeping your home warm during the winter seasons need not be a struggle. These things will help you winter-proof your home and lower your energy bills.
