A warm and cozy home is an inviting home; it’s the place that friends don’t want to leave once they arrive. Of course, depending on the structure of your home and its location, it might not be easy to keep things toasty, especially not in the colder months. If you’ve got a chill home, the following will explore a few steps you can take to help keep things warm.
Sealing Doors And Windows
Heat and cold move around with the air, and this means that if there are gaps around your doors and windows, your precious heat might be escaping, and the frigid outdoor air might be creeping in. Take the time to properly seal your doors and windows. Not only will this help keep your home at an ideal temperature, but it will also reduce your utility bills and help prevent pests in the warmer months.
Heating Maintenance
One of the major ways a home can get chilly is if there’s an issue with your heating system. You want to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for maintenance steps and checkups. You also want to ensure that the resources your heating system needs are plentiful and intact. If you’re using oil heating, you might want to look into a delivery service that brings new oil. If you’re using electrical heating, you might want to have your wiring and circuits looked at. Sometimes poor maintenance results in heating systems not working ideally. This point is especially important if your heating system used to be able to handle things but has seemingly grown weaker.
Insulation Considerations
Heat can also escape through walls, basements, and roofs. If your wall or roof feels cold to the touch, there’s a chance your insulation needs some updating. This might involve new siding for your home, patches for the roof, or additional insulation between wall layers. Pay special attention to the basement and attic as a lot of heat can be lost in these areas. It’s also vital that you research the toxicity of materials used, especially if you’re applying them yourself. Many popular insulation options are incredibly toxic and can harm your health in the time it takes you to install them. Like the note about windows and doors, this step can also help keep out pests in the warmer months. If you can’t afford to insulate your whole home, focus on loft or attic areas.
Chimney Balloon
If you have a working fireplace, that’s fantastic. But if you have an unused fireplace for decorative reasons, you might want to look into a chimney balloon so that heat isn’t escaping out the chimney. They’re often inexpensive and easy to set up yourself. You simply put them in through the fireplace, lifting the balloon up just high enough in the chimney that you can’t see it. Then you inflate it. The balloon will fill the space, making it harder for air to pass through.
Clear Around Your Radiators
Try to avoid placing your furniture in front of the radiators and make sure that they’re dusted and cleaned on the regular. This will help reduce the risk that heat is being impeded on its way around your home.
Rugs And Carpets
If you have bare floorboards, a few throw rugs can make a huge difference. Not only will your feet be warmer as you walk around, but the extra layer will help reduce the heat that is escaping through the floor.
Cozy Throws and Blankets
Adding heavier blankets into your decor when winter begins can make it easier to stay cozy and warm. Having an extra throw on the couch or on one of your reading chairs, as well as a thicker blanket on your bed, can help you stay warm and comfortable without needing to turn the heat up.
Socks And Slippers
Finally, it’s important to know that most of the heat that escapes your body does so through your head and your feet. If you’re looking to keep your utilities low, thick wool socks and slippers are a great idea. There’s a famous Danish proverb that goes something like this: there’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad outfits.
The above information should help you keep your home warm and cozy come winter. Of course, if there is a draft you can’t deal with or if you’ve taken all these steps but still find it’s still freezing, it’s a good idea to seek out the help of a professional who handles home repair. It’s also worth noting that feeling cold can be an indication of health issues like fever or circulation problems.