With winter fast approaching, the question in most people’s minds is how to keep their homes warm. You will need to prepare your home in advance to ensure that all the members of your household are warm and snuggly. The cold is not something to joke about.
The consequences of not being prepared can prove to be fatal and drain you financially. In addition, the fluctuating temperatures can prove to be uncomfortable for most people, especially the little ones. The good news is that there are several ways to keep your home warm without having to incur high heating bills.
Ways To Keep Your House Warm In Winter
You’re now in the winter months, and you’ve already had a few days of snow. Avoid that uncomfortable cold by following ways to ensure your house is warm in winter.
Keep the Door Shut
This is the easiest way of ensuring that your house is warm. When doors leading to outside are left open, all the cold gets into the house. The house will then become cold. To avoid all the cold air from getting into the house, ensure that the door stays shut at all times. It should only be opened if you want to use it to go outside. You will notice that the house will be warm since the cold wind and air are trapped outside.
Block Open Keyholes
They may seem irrelevant, but the speed of the wind blowing inside will ensure that the cold air gets into the house through these keyholes. The best way to prevent this is by blocking them using keys or something else. The main aim is to ensure that the house stays warm and no cold gets inside through any part of the house.
Cover Vents
Are you familiar with the location of all the vents in your house? If not, you need to learn these fast enough to cover them before winter starts. Moving air will incessantly go through any opening. The vents provide the perfect pathway for this to happen. As a result, you will end up getting all the cold air from outside into your home. This will highly affect the temperature inside the house, therefore would be best if you covered all the vents to avoid this.
Close The Windows
Ensure that all the windows in your home are closed. Otherwise, all the efforts for the house to stay warm will be in vain. Open windows provide multiple entries for cold air to get into the house. Unfortunately, it is also an exit for all the warm air that is already in the house.
Cook at Home
Winter is the perfect season for you to make your meals. The heat from the stove, while the food is cooking, will help make the house warm. In addition, this is the perfect time for you to try out new recipes and enjoy them with your loved ones. However, don’t make the mistake of using the oven to heat your home since this can be dangerous. Instead, try the best indoor grills in the market today to be able to enjoy good barbecued food right inside your home!
Close Doors to Unused Rooms
If you have several rooms in your house that are not in use, it would be best if you locked their doors. The closed doors of unused rooms will save and prevent warmth from going into those rooms instead of being concentrated in an area you are more likely to use. There is no need to distribute the heat available into unused rooms. To avoid overworking your heating appliances, supply the extra warmth needed wisely by using the best space heaters for large rooms.
Eliminate Cracks and Gaps
If you have open spaces, it would be best if you kept them to a minimum. Ensure that you do not build too many open-plan spaces or huge ones at your home. You will discover that these might be the places where the heat escapes. Inspect the area where there are spaces and fix them properly by sealing all the cracks and gaps. You can also place new seals on the doors and windows where there are spaces.
Switch to Reverse Fan Mode
Inspect your fan to see if it has a winter setting or reverse mode. If it has a winter mode, you will need to switch it on to spread the hot air trapped at the ceiling instead of sitting idle in winter. Make sure you set it on low speed so that it does not cool down the hot air [1].
Invest in Heavy Curtains and Carpets
Heavy curtains will help Trap the heat inside the room and not let them escape through the windows. There are insulated curtains available that will help you get better results in achieving this. A warm heavy carpet will also help in keeping the floors warm.
Programmable Thermostat
You can use this gadget to set the temperature of your home. You can set the temperature as per your requirement when you’re at home, and when you’re not inside the house, you can also set it to low temperature. You can also program it to do your bidding instead of doing it manually.
Heater
Heating appliances such as baseboard heaters are one of the easiest ways to keep your house warm. It is fast and effective. In addition, it comes in different sizes to accommodate both small and large homes. You can also set them in different temperature levels to heat the house. Some may consume a lot of power, but there are energy-efficient space heaters that work perfectly for your budget.
Fireplace
If you have ever thought of moving in winter, you are not alone. Winter can be a rough time for many homeowners. But if you have an electric fireplace, you can keep your house at the same comfortable temperature all year long! Fireplaces are a great way to keep your home warm in the winter.
Pros of Keeping your House Warm In Winter
It is healthy to have a warm home in winter. Cold and damp homes have been linked to various respiratory diseases that could take a toll on your finances. You will also feel more at ease being in a warm home in winter.
Here are the pros of keeping your house warm in winter:
Save on medical costs
When you have a warm house, you won’t have to worry about incurring medical costs because your loved ones or yourself have fallen ill. Instead, you will be able to save money that you would have spent on medical costs. You can channel the money into other uses.
Peace of mind
You will feel relaxed and at ease knowing that you or your loved ones are warm. Your well-being has been well catered for, and you will experience a good winter season and be ready for the next one.
Good health
A warm house ensures that you will be in good health at all times. You will not be at risk of getting respiratory diseases. Bear in mind that sometimes winter storms can block roads and make accessing healthcare impossible.
Well functioning Thyroid
The thyroid is responsible for maintaining the temperature in your body. Staying warm is necessary since you will not overwork your thyroid function. Blood flows easily when the body is warm. Your body tends to get rid of urine faster and store less water when cold. Your metabolism is affected when your body is cold. If you have hypothermia, then infections will thrive in your body.
FAQ
How do you keep a cold house warm?
The only place that might feel warm inside a cold house is right in front of the fireplace. However, there are various measures that you can put in place to ensure that the whole house stays warm. You will need to thoroughly access the house to ensure no cracks or gaps since they will be adding coldness to the already cold house.
Invest in heavy curtains as they will act as insulation and help the house stay warm. Another sure way of keeping a cold house warm is by getting a carpet. Having no contact with the cold floor or tiles will make it warmer since the carpet absorbs all the cold.
How can I keep my house warm without a heater?
Heaters account for more than 60% of household energy consumption, which might be on the higher side for most people. However, you can still keep your house warm without having to use a heater. Move the furniture around to create a warm ambiance.
To avoid losing heat that gets into the house during the day, work on having insulation installed. Insulation will prevent losing heat through the ceiling. You can also install radiator panels and use them to reflect heat. They are affordable and easy to install.
How can I make my house feel warmer?
The best way to make a house feel warmer is to play around with colors. Some colors emit warmth, and you have to ensure that this is the available scheme in your house. Also, keep in mind that chimneys and air conditioners tend to leak warmth if they are not adequately sealed.
Close the windows tightly to keep the warmth inside, especially during the cold season. Open curtains during the day to allow warmth from the sun to get in. Work on any holes around the house that can allow warm air out and cold air in.
Why is my house so cold even with the heating on?
If your house still feels cold even with the heater on, chances are some gaps need to be filled. There is a possibility that there are gaps around windows, doors, or even the foundation of the building. You will need to do repairs around the house to seal these gaps.
Check on the wires and pipes to confirm that no gaps allow the cold air into the house. They will need to be filled, and you can opt for spray foam to see if it will work. You should also check on your heating system to see if the settings are correct. If the settings are correct and the house has no gaps, get a professional to check whether the heating system has a problem.
When winter is approaching, please make it a habit always to have a professional and reliable HVAC technician check your heating system. The routine check will ensure that it is attended to before winter starts in case of a problem. By doing this, you will have a functional heating system that will make your home cozy and warm.
There are different cost-effective ways that you can use to keep your house warm in winter. You don’t have to spend a lot of money but need to be creative. Explore what will work best for your home and choose creative and affordable ways of going about it.
It is okay to ask for help if you feel stuck. However, take advantage of available resources to prepare beforehand. Most times, people have a terrible experience with the winter cold because they failed to plan. Prove to be different and invest your time and money to ensure that your home will be warm in winter.
Winter comes once a year, and you have enough time to plan. You can visit thrift stores to get heavy curtains and garage sales for heating appliances. You might get good items in excellent working conditions, and they will aid you in keeping your house warm in winter.
The last thing you want is for your family to be freezing during the winter months. To guarantee their warmth and comfort, you can use the tips above to keep your home warm. This will prove to be a pleasant season for you and your loved ones.
