Your home should be comfortable and warm during the winter. Can you cover a return vent? Or perhaps you are looking for additional ways to keep your home warm. This guide will provide you with useful tips to increase the temperature in your home without increasing your energy bills.
Tips to Keep Your Home Warm During Winter
Here are some tips to consider if you are looking for different ways to lower your energy costs and keep your home warm this winter:
Consider a Programmable Thermostat
If you’re looking for a way to gain more control of the temperature in your home during the winter, consider installing a programmable thermostat. You can set it at a certain temperature during the day, and a different temperature during the night. You can also set it to a certain temperature for when no one is home. For more control, install a smart thermostat. Smart thermostats allow you to alter the temperature right from your phone on days when you’re not at home.
Open all Vents
Closing vents will not save money, even though people may think otherwise. Opening all vents in your home will ensure that your home is properly heated. Closing your vents can result in higher energy costs since it causes your HVAC system to work harder. It can also damage your system. If you want to close them, consider just partially closing them, leaving them 25% open at the least.
Also, make sure that your vents are not blocked. This means that you should remove curtains, furniture, and rugs from in front of or on top of the vents to allow proper airflow.
Install Draft Stoppers
Cold air can make its way into any home through drafty doorways. The best way to prevent this cold air from getting in is by installing draft stoppers. If you don’t have a draft stopper, you can create one using fabric that properly fits the length of your doorway. You can then sew the fabric into a long tub and fill it with stuffing.
Ensure Windows are Properly Insulated
Bubble wrap and regular plastic film work perfectly for insulating windows. They are cheaper options compared to window insulation kits. If you choose to purchase a kit, you can cut the plastic sheet to fit the size of your window. You can then cut some strips of adhesive tape and stick them to the window frame.
Open Blinds & Curtains When Sunny Outside
This is one of the easiest methods to warm your home. When it’s sunny outside, open your blinds and curtains and let the natural heat from the sun warm your home during cold days. When the temperature drops at night, be sure to close everything back up.
Open Interior Doors
Keep all doors throughout your home open. Doing so will allow proper airflow throughout the entire home, thus regulating the temperature. If, however, there are certain areas in your home that are not connected to your central HVAC system, you can close those doors off so that the air goes to the rooms you are using.
Add Insulation
Another way to save money and keep your home warm during the winter is by adding insulation where it could be used throughout your home. If you have not checked the insulation in your home, now is a great time to do so. Boosting the insulation in your home can keep the temperature regulated and prevent heat from escaping.
Bake Some Goodies
If you are looking for another quick hack to warm up your home during the winter, your oven is your best friend. Throw some of your favorite cookies in the oven, or bake a pie. Once done, turn off the oven, open the oven door, and leave it open until it cools down.
