Top Tips for a Warmer Home This Winter

We all know that the seasons are quickly changing – and if you aren’t prepared for it, you could very well have a cold winter on your hands! Of course, everyone loves the idea of spending the Christmas holidays sipping hot chocolate, cozy under the blankets with the dog curled at your feet – but if you aren’t well-prepared, you could be in for a nasty shock once you enter your home and find that your furnace isn’t working and the fireplace doesn’t have enough wood. But aside from ensuring that your furnace is in tip-top shape and your fireplace has enough wood to last all winter, there are other things you can do to have a warmer, cozier home. So how can you ensure you are prepared for the winter? Here are some top tips for a warmer home this winter season.

• Use heavier curtains

Not many people may be aware of it, but they can lose as much as 40 percent of the heat in their homes merely because they didn’t cover up their windows properly. A significant amount of heat can escape through your home’s windows alone, so you can cover up your windows using heavier curtains. When you invest in heavy curtains or drapes, they ensure that your windows have an extra layer of insulation – and your home will even look cozier and warmer because of the curtains.

• Have your furnace checked

The next best thing you can do is have your furnace checked, and you can nip potential issues right in the bud. A maintenance check will guarantee that your furnace is in optimum working condition for the winter ahead. If various components or parts need to be replaced or cleaned, the technician can do so. By having it checked and inspected, you can also avoid having a breakdown later on – and avoid the expense that comes with it, as experienced companies like McNally HVAC will tell you!

• Seal gaps and cracks

When your home has unsealed gaps or cracks, this can lead to 15 to up to 25 percent of heat loss! You can inadvertently let cool air into your home; if you try warming it up, it will leak outside. What you can do, therefore, is to seal the gaps and cracks in your door and window frames and keep the drafts away.

• Change the settings on your ceiling fan

Another way you can have a warmer abode is by changing the settings on your ceiling fan. Again, not many people know this, but your ceiling fans are not just for summer – you can use them during the winter, too! When it’s summer, your ceiling fans turn counter-clockwise, allowing them to use the ‘wind chill factor’ to help keep you cool. But in the winter, you can use your ceiling fan to warm your space by finding its reverse switch. As your heating system produces warm air that rises, the ceiling fan will push this warm air downwards to reach a level of comfort. The reverse switch is often located below (or above) the blades; otherwise, you can check the fan’s manual.

• Let the sunlight in

One simple way to keep your house warm without too much effort (or expense) is to let the sunlight in. When you open your curtains and drapes during the day and capitalize on the daylight, your home can gain more warmth and energy, lasting until the sun goes down for the night.