Warm Up Your Home This Winter With These 5 Tips and Tricks
As the winter season approaches, many of us are noticing a stark increase in our energy bills. Unfortunately, the cold winter season requires the need for home heating service that can be costly for all families. Fortunately, there are various tips and tricks that you can implement to warm up your home this winter season without jacking up your energy bills.
Use Your Ceiling Fans
Ceiling fans are a great way to help ensure that your heated air gets used to its fullest potential. You’ll want to turn your ceiling fans in reverse so that they force air from the top of the room out and down toward the floor. Since warm air naturally rises, it only makes sense to find a way to move that air back down toward the floor so that it heats up your family.
Let Direct Sunlight In
Direct sunlight can be a great free way to help heat your home during the coldest of the winter months. If you have windows that receive direct sunlight throughout the day, you should be opening your blinds or curtains to allow that sunlight in. Many people are surprised to find out that direct sunlight can actually increase the temperature in their homes by up to 15 degrees.
Add Insulation
Think of insulation as a barrier between the cold winter weather and your warm indoor air. The thicker the barrier, the less likely cold air is to seep inside your home. Foam insulation can be a great investment to add insulation to areas of your home that are already constructed with drywall and other building materials.
Weatherize Your Home
Over time due to natural expansion and contraction, air leaks can develop in vulnerable areas of your home. These include near doors and windows. A great way to keep your wintertime heating bills to a minimum is to close up any air leaks that could be allowing cold air to seep into your home. Caulking paired with weatherstripping will typically do the trick.
Get Your Ductwork Cleaned
It’s not uncommon for unwanted dirt and debris to enter your ducts over time. If left alone, this debris will start to clog up your ducting. This can greatly reduce the airflow in your system and cause your furnace to overwork to adequately heat your home. A great way to help ensure that you’re getting as much warmth as possible from your furnace is to have your ductwork cleaned by a professional.
Keeping your home warm and toasty this winter season doesn’t have to be overly difficult. By implementing the tips that we went over above, you can work to keep your home warm without increasing your energy bills.