Keeping Your Home Warm this Winter

Now that we’re into December, most of us are doing our best to keep ourselves – and our homes – warm. Although it’s cozy to sleep with three blankets, it’s not quite as nice to have to get out of bed to a house that’s 60 degrees.

So what can you do to keep your house warmer without installing insulation or buying all new windows? Here are a few tips that might help:

Block Drafts

If you have drafty areas in your home, find ways to stop the cold air from getting in and the warm air from getting out. If your doors are your biggest culprit, pick up a door draft guard or a door snake from pretty much any home store. You can also make your own by fill an old pants leg (or a leg from some worn out leggings) with rice, beans or fabric scraps and sewing the ends. We’ve also seen people cut a section out of the top of a pool noodle and then slide the remaining portion under the door to block the air flow.

Seal Your Windows

If you can feel that the areas near your windows are colder than the rest of the rooms, there are a couple things you can try – starting with weather stripping and window insulation film. There are multiple options for both of these solutions, so you’ll want to consider your options. Also keep in mind that some weather stripping is visible and, depending on your windows and the lighting, the insulation film can make your windows look shrink-wrapped. We’d recommend testing any possible solutions on one window before going all in.

Curtains

People commonly use curtains in the summer to keep their homes cool, but the same curtains (or even thermal curtains) can make a big difference in the winter too. Curtains or drapes can help reduce the air exchange between a cold window and the rest of the room. And, if you have floor to ceiling curtains, the fabric (which is often a poor conductor) can help trap the cold air near the window rather than let it mix with the rest of the air in the room.

Air Deflectors

Vent Air Deflectors can be used on both floor vents and wall vents and, if you face them to the center of the room, they can help you maintain a more constant temperature. Why send all of your heat up the cold wall before it flows into your living room? Air deflectors might not help warm the entire space, but they will help you make better use of the warm air you already have flowing.

Move Furniture

Is your room set up keeping you from getting the most out of your heat? If you have a vent hidden under a table or near a sofa, there’s a good chance that furniture is sucking some of the heat out of the air. Take stock of the furniture in the main rooms of your house and consider whether or not rearranging the space could help you stay warmer without spending more money.

If you need help sealing your windows, hanging curtains, putting in air deflectors or even improving the insulation in your house, your local TruBlue Total House Care franchisee is available to help.