Energy-Efficient Ways to Heat Up the Home

The winter season is upon us, and while you’re out shopping for gifts and planning your next New Year getaway, you still need to put more focus on home maintenance. As the temperature begins to take a deep dive below zero, you will have to do a great deal of tweaking to keep your home from freezing over.

That being said, you will have to adjust your thermostat in order to achieve a better temperature for your home. Then again, doing so would mean jacking up your heating costs. For sure, the winter months would be long and you’re basically stuck between a rock and a hard place in keeping your home warm without ending the season with a hefty energy bill.

Fortunately, there are ways you can keep the cold out without putting your finances in dire straits. Apply these practical tips to keep your energy costs low and stay heated until spring!

1. Winterize your doors and windows

The cold winter months can be unforgiving, especially if there are drafts that enter your home through narrow gaps and cracks. For sure, most of these entry points are typically found in doors and windows, so you will have to winterize them properly.

For that, you will need the right weatherstripping materials that should help you close these gaps and keep the draft from entering and making indoor conditions colder. An expensive option would be to install felt underneath doors and windows. You will also need other materials such as a heavy-duty weatherstripping sealant.

2. Insulate your attic and basement

These places are basically vulnerable to the harsh winter cold. That being said, they serve as entry points through which the cold can invade your home. To prevent your attic and basement from freezing over, make sure to reinforce your insulation and sealing cracks.

To prevent your attic and basement from freezing over, make sure to reinforce your insulation and sealing cracks.

A good rule of thumb is to choose the right R-value for your attic and basement. In this case, you will have to look at R-60 insulation if you’re living in subpolar areas. Otherwise, you may want to install R-15 insulation if the winters in your city is not as harsh and if you’re on a tight budget. For added efficiency, you may want to consider radiant flooring for your basement and attic.

3. Reinforce your windows and doors

Even if you have properly weatherstripped your windows and doors, there’s no guaranteeing that much of the draft is kept out. If you’re not that sure, you can always provide added reinforcement using heavy curtains. These materials can help absorb and reduce the residual cold that’s entering your home.

Provide added reinforcement using heavy curtains. These materials can help absorb and reduce the residual cold.

Aside from curtains, you can also use old rugs and rags to cover your windows and doors, especially during the nighttime when conditions outside are much cooler. You can even use woolen jackets!

4. Replace your thermostat

If your thermostat has been around for quite some time, you may as well upgrade to a programmable one. A digital thermostat can help you save money as it can automatically adjust to room conditions. This enables you to arrive at a more ideal temperature for certain areas of your home.