Winter Is Coming – 9 Ways to Create a Toasty Home When the Temperature Outside Is Freezing

Winter-Is-Coming

If you are someone who is struggling to keep your home warm, you found the right post. When the temperature outside is freezing, that’s exactly when you want your home to be nice and warm. Your home needs to be a space of comfort that shields you like a warm blanket, no matter what the temperature is outside. 

A lot of people spend money on their home’s heating systems, but they often find it to be inadequate. While upgrading the heating system does help at times, the secret to an uncomfortably cold home almost always boils down to poor insulation. Homes also lose heat through cracks and gaps in the doors and windows. All of these factors not only force your heating system to work overtime, but it also drives up your heating bill.

Here’s a checklist of 9 things you need to do to keep your home warm during winters.

Get Your Heating System Serviced by a Professional

Heating SystemMost technicians charge about $100 to check your home’s heating system. This is not only necessary to ensure efficient heating performance, but the expert also checks for carbon monoxide leaks. Heating units usually last for about 10 to 15 years. Consider an upgrade if your home’s heating unit is over 10 years and performing poorly.

It’s also important to get your heating system serviced around fall, before the temperature starts to drop. This way you are prepared for the worst winter nights.

Install a Gas Fireplace

Gas fireplaces are great secondary heating solutions for homes. They are usually good enough to heat up a large single room. Therefore, it makes sense to install it in a place where you spend the most time. Gas fireplaces demand a bit of installation effort as you need to create the venting and make provisions for the gas line. The reason it’s recommended to pick a gas fireplace over a traditional wood burning fireplace is that they can be installed in any room, whereas a traditional fireplace requires a chimney. Gas fireplaces are also a lot more efficient and deliver better heating output. Pick a reputed brand like Ortal fireplaces to ensure glitch-free performance and to find the perfect size and type for your home.

If, however, you already happen to have a fireplace that’s not working, you should look for fireplace repair near me instead.

Search and Seal Windows and Doors with Gaps

Seal Window

Gaps and cracks in the windows may be responsible for letting the warm air out. For a lot of homes, this is probably the no.1 reason behind inefficient heating. Use weather stripping to plug the gaps and cracks as you find them. This should be a simple DIY project.

Open the Curtains When the Sun is Up, Close Them When Dark

To save on heating bills you need to be smart. Part of that is letting the sun work in your favor. When the sun is up, open the curtains and let the light and warmth pour in. Just as the sun is setting, close all the curtains to seal the heat in.

Move Big Furniture Away from the Radiator

RadiatorA piece of large furniture or a sofa placed near the radiator can absorb all the heat. This leaves your room cold and creates pockets of hot and cold areas. Make sure there is enough space around your radiator to allow it to uniformly spread the warmth throughout the house.

Don’t Try to Heat Unused Guest Rooms

Another smart way to save on the heating bill is to close off guest rooms and any unused rooms. You don’t need rooms to be warm if you don’t plan on using them. This will ease up the pressure on your heating unit and improve its heating performance in terms of warming up the actual living space.

Insulate, Insulate, and Then Insulate Some More

InsulateYou probably have heard this one before, but never realized how important insulation is. Here are some numbers. You can lose up to 25% of your heat due to insufficient roof insulation and a whopping 35% through uninsulated walls.

The cost of insulating the roof or the walls may seem high, but you are guaranteed to recover the money by saving on heating bills. A well-insulated home requires less heating as it traps the warmth much more efficiently.

Install Door Draft Stoppers

You can plug all the gaps, but there is always a sliver of spaces underneath doors which remain uninsulated. If only there was a way. Well, there is, and they are called draftstoppers. Also called draft dodgers, these inexpensive items fit most standard doors and they prevent warm air from seeping outside.

Install Plush Carpeting

Install Plush CarpetingCarpeting can stop the heat from escaping through the floor. Install plush carpeting on hardwood and tiled floors to prevent heat loss.

Article Submitted By Community Writer

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