How do I keep my home warm in the winter?

5 Tips For Keeping Your Home Extra Warm This Winter

When it’s cold outside, it’s important to have your home be comfortable indoors. If you don’t have a fireplace, and want to keep your energy bill in check, here are 5 tips for keeping your home extra warm this winter:

1. Install a programmable thermostat. This will keep your energy bill low, and your furnace’s efficiency high. You can program your thermostat to automatically be set at a temperature that won’t cause the furnace to run while you’re away at work or traveling, but will ensure a comfortable atmosphere when you return home.
2. Let sunlight in during the day. Once the sun is up, you want to capture as much of that free heat as possible. Even on cold days, the sun is warm. Before you leave the house for the day, open up your curtains and let the light shine in. If there are certain parts of the house that don’t get sunlight, you can keep those curtains closed so heat doesn’t escape.
3. If you have ceiling fans in your home, they may be sitting needlessly dormant during the winter months. Many fans have a “winter” setting, which reverses the fan so that it moves clockwise vs. the normal counterclockwise direction. Since heat rises, the clockwise-spinning fan will push the heat back down into the room instead of being trapped at the ceiling. This is especially recommended for high or sloped ceilings.
4. Move furniture away from vents. You may have unknowingly placed a sofa or chair in front of a heating vent. Go around the house and double check that vents aren’t blocked, and if they are, find a better placement for your furniture.
5. Use the oven. Baking, roasting, and broiling foods will keep your house warmer, especially in rooms nearest the kitchen. Roast a chicken or bake some casseroles when the temperatures dip!

For more information about keeping your home warmer during winter, please give us a call.