Keeping your home warm in the winter can be a pain. Especially when you’ve got drafts and a harsh climate to deal with. Fortunately, there are a number of little things you can do to help keep heat in without having to blow up your bill.’
Sound like a plan? Then let’s dive into some great heating hacks that’ll help you keep toasty all winter.
1. Push Heat Down With Ceiling Fans
Heat rises, which is a pain since our ceilings are naturally well above our heads. If you’re looking to save on your heating bill and keep the house warmer then listen up.
Virtually all ceiling fans are reversible. Some will have a switch actually inside the housing but most modern fans just have to be clicked an extra time to cause them to move in a different direction.
These fans are generally designed to pull heated air to the roof, causing the room to cool down. They’re remarkably effective at this, which is why they’re a mainstay in most homes.
Reversing the fan will cause it to push air and the air at the top of a room will be the warmest due to the density difference. Reversing your ceiling fans in the winter will help bring warm air back into the room, keeping it warmer and even saving a bit on the bill.
2. Alternative Heaters
Rather than simply relying on the central air system in your home, you can find plenty of heaters that work off of different fuel sources.
You don’t have to invest in something expensive and large like a cast iron stove to make the most of it either. There are a ton of different options to pick from if you look around.
Kerosene heaters such as the Sengoku KeroHeat are an excellent option since they won’t add directly to your bills and the fuel is quite cheap. You may also want to use things like electric space heaters in rooms that are particularly drafty.
3. Blackout Curtains
Blackout curtains are good for more than just keeping out prying eyes: they can also act as insulation over windows. The best blackout curtains are made of heavy materials that will help keep heat transfer to a minimum.
For the best results, you’ll want to use dark-colored shades, which will hold heat better than those in shades of white and cream that are quite common. They’ll absorb more thermal energy and even radiate it a bit once the room has reached temperature.
It’s aa remarkably effective solution that many people aren’t aware of. The heaviest will also help to prevent drafts.
4. Seal External Holes
Speaking of drafts: you should find the source and eliminate them. Most drafts can be traced to relatively small holes, such as those around where your cable or plumbing comes in.
Go over your home before winter hits and make sure to seal up everything you can find. Drafts are the number one cause of cold air getting into your home and a cross-draft can make things even worse.
You’ll also want to check your window stripping. If it’s cracked or damaged to any significant degree you’ll probably need to replace it to prevent air from escaping.
If you’re not comfortable doing it yourself you should be able to find a local HVAC professional to handle the job for you.
5. Keep Your Socks On
Most of the heat which escapes our bodies does so through two areas: our feet and our heads. If you’re running around barefoot, particularly on surfaces like tile or hardwood, you’re going to get cold much more quickly.
Keeping your socks on and finding a beanie will help you keep warm no matter what the temperature.
Since many people fret about the sudden increase in their heating bills during the winter you’ll be able to lower the thermostat a bit and save some extra money as well.
While you shouldn’t be forced to bundle up in your home during the winter, just a bit of extra cloth can keep you much warmer than you would be otherwise.
6. Turn the Oven On
Your oven can do a lot more than just cook and you don’t need a wood-burning stove to keep the kitchen warm and toasty.
Turning the oven on is a fantastic idea for those cold winter mornings. You don’t have to waste it either, why not set up a pie or some cookie dough the night before so that you’ll have a great dessert for that night.
While an oven isn’t going to beat out a dedicated wood burning stove for heat input, they’ll definitely help out with keeping you warm while you’re in the kitchen.
7. Capture Some Sun
If you have southern or western facing windows you have an easy source of heat available: the sun. Leave the blinds back during the day on these windows, after sealing the gaps, and you’ll be in good hands.
The sun will help heat the room but you may not want to give this trick a shot if you don’t have double-paned windows.
With double panes, the extra insulation will help keep heat from escaping but standard windows may end up losing more heat than they gain through the curtains being open.
If you have blackout shades to close at night… even better. That way you’ll be able to get the benefits of both heating hacks.
Keep Toasty Through the Cold Season
You don’t have to choose between freezing this winter or driving your bills through the roof. A few simple changes in the way you approach the cold season will make all the difference in the end.
Hopefully, you’re already getting prepared. If you follow our advice you may just be looking at the most comfortable winter ever.
