How to Keep Your Home Warm in The Winter

Keeping your home warm in the winter can seem like a challenge, especially if you live in an older house. But there are plenty of small things you can do to help keep your family toasty during the harsh winter months.

Have Your Old Furnace Serviced or Replaced

The chances are that unless you have upgraded your furnace recently, you are still paying over the odds to keep it running. While the upfront cost of replacing your furnace may seem high, the saving over time will more than compensate for this, and your home will be heated with greater efficiency. Contact a reputable furnace maintenance company to have your furnace serviced.

Install a Smart Thermostat

These are worth their weight in gold as they give you complete control over the temperatures in your home. You can even use them to increase or decrease temperatures while you are out, allowing you to save money on your energy bills. It is also sensible for both your wallet and your health to have the temperatures in your home set lower while you sleep.

Harness the Heat of The Sun

Don’t waste any of the free heat that is offered up by the sun. Know where the sun floods into your home during the day and at what times of day, and ensure any curtains are open during those hours.

Get Thermal Curtains

Thermal curtains will help reduce the amount of heat you lose through your windows, and this is especially true with old, single glazed windows. They can, however, be expensive to buy so, if your budget doesn’t quite stretch that far, then try hanging blankets over your windows to keep the cold air out and the warm air in. You should close your thermal curtains as soon as the sun goes down to maximize their energy-saving potential.

Throw Rugs and Carpets Over Wooden Floors

You could be losing up to 10% of the heat in your home through your wooden floors. In the winter months, consider using rugs and carpets to help retain some of the heat and keep your toes warm when you are barefoot.

Reverse Your Ceiling Fans

Change the direction of your ceiling fans to clockwise so that it is set to push warm air down and force it to recirculate through the room. Once the colder climate starts to let up, remember to switch them back to anticlockwise for the summer months.

Check Your Insulation

You should be aiming for a minimum of 12 inches of insulation in your attic so, if it is any less, then adding to it will greatly improve your energy efficiency and help keep your home nice and warm.

Wrap Up Warm

The cost of heating your home to both your finances and the environment is huge so, it’s always worth remembering that you shouldn’t be looking to have a home where you can wander about in a t-shirt all winter. Don’t be afraid to pop on an extra jumper or keep blankets handy beside the sofa for those chilly evenings.