Let’s face it, running the heating and air unit all of the time can get expensive. Fortunately, there are ways to keep your home warm without having to run the heat for extended amounts of time each day.
With these six heating your home hacks, you can keep your house warm during the winter time without having to pay ridiculously high utility payments each month. And the best part, they are fairly inexpensive options that almost guarantee you to receive a return on your initial investment.
The following are the six best home improvement hacks to help you save on the cost of heating your home this winter.
Use Thick Curtains
First and foremost, use curtains. While most think of curtains as a way to control the lighting in a room or keep the creepy neighbors from seeing what is going on in your home by peeking through doors and windows, curtains also help you control the temperature inside your home.
As you probably know, houses tend to get colder during the winter time because the outside air is able to penetrate the doors, windows and walls and cool the house off. When the house starts to cool off, the heating unit kicks up and warms the place back up.
Curtains help control the inside temperature by adding an extra buffer to keep the cold air out, which means the heating unit runs less. When the heating unit is not used as frequently, the heating and air cost is lowered. In other words, curtains are a great way to ensure the home stays warm during the cold winter months without having to run the heat all day and everyday. However, be sure to choose thick curtains that are designed for the purpose of keeping your house warm.
Caulk and Weatherstrip The Windows and Doors
Another great home improvement hack to help keep the cold air out and the temperature inside the house warm without needing to constantly run the heat is to caulk and weatherstrip wherever air may get into the house, which is typically isolated to doors and windows.
While caulking and weatherstripping may seem like a difficult process that requires a professional, you can caulk and weatherstrip your own windows and doors by purchasing a weatherstrip kit with detailed step by step how to instructions.
By caulking and weatherstripping your home, you ensure there are not any opening where cold outside air are entering the house, which ensures the house stays warm and the utility bill stays low.
Install Replacement Windows and Sliding Doors
While it may require a slightly higher initial payment, replacing old, worn down windows with new replacement windows can ensure you have a secure buffer from the warm air inside your home and the cold air outside.
Additionally, sliding glass doors can be a fantastic installation option to keep the cold air out of your home during the winter. With thick, quality windows and sliding glass doors, the house can stay warm as there will be a thick, secure buffer for your home. In addition, installing replacement windows and sliding doors adds an aesthetic beauty to your home that perhaps did not exist before. Also, having natural sunlight shine through can actually heat your home up during the daytime as well.
Therefore, if you are concerned about keeping the temperature inside your house warm and want to improve the appearance of your home as well, consider installing replacement windows and sliding doors.
Improve The Home’s Insulation
If your home does not stay warm during the winter unless you constantly run the heat all day long, then the problem may be with your home’s insulation. Over time, the insulation in a home can begin to wear down and not be as effective. While it is very common to overlook the quality of your home’s insulation, it is very important to do so when trying to keep utility costs down each month.
Checking your home’s insulation is fairly easy, and you can replace the insulation for a low price and without much effort at all. Be sure to check all areas your home’s insulation may be in question, including the attic, garage and any storage rooms you may have in the home.
By changing your home’s insulation, you should see an immediate improvement in the ability of your home to stay at a certain temperature for a longer amount of time without having to run the heat in order to maintain the temperature where you want it.
Move Your Furniture
In some cases, the answer to keeping your heating cost down is as simple as moving a couple pieces of furniture from one side of room to the other. In the event you have done all of the previously mentioned home improvement hacks – such as installing new windows, weatherstripping the doors and windows and using thick curtains – but your home still does not stay warm, check and see if a piece of furniture is blocking the vents.
When the vents become blocked by furniture or other objects, it is common for the heat to get sucked into the furniture and makes the other vents run longer and harder to keep the entire house warm.
If a vent in your home is blocked, simply find a way to rearrange the room to where it is able to let air out freely, and you should immediately see a difference in your home’s ability to stay warm without having to run the heat all day long.
Use Time on Heating Unit
Lastly, try applying a timer on your heating unit. If you don’t mind sleeping while it is cold, then you can set the thermostat to shut off the heat thirty minutes after everyone in the house usually falls asleep, and then kick back into gear thirty minutes prior to waking up.
If no one is home during the day, simply set the heating unit to only run right before the first person gets home in the evening.
If you have any helpful tips for keeping your home warm during the winter, while saving on the cost of heating, leave a comment and share your thoughts in the section below.
