How to Stay Toasty in the Winter
As the winter months approach, along with it comes colder days and even colder evenings. Running your furnace all day is a great way to heat up your home, but running it too much can lead to extremely high utility bills.
The trick is to find ways to make your heater run more efficiently and to find alternative methods of staying warm.
Below is a look at several great tips that can help you stay nice and toasty all winter long.
Replace Heater Filters
Before the winter months even set in, it is important that you check the filters on your heater and replace them if necessary. You should continue to check these filters on a monthly basis during the winter months. A good filter will help your heater run more efficiently and will help you have a warm home at a cheaper rate.
Use the Fireplace if You Have One
Many homes in Australia are older and have fireplaces – use them. Wood is relatively cheap and if you buy it during the right time of the year it can be very cheap. Whilst operating a fireplace or wood burning stove takes some effort, it is cheaper than the furnaces and does a great job of warming the home.
Add Insulation
If your home has areas that are not properly insulated, now is the time to fix that problem and add some insulation. Lack of insulation will allow the heat from your home to escape through the walls and roof of your home, and will be inadequate at preventing cold air from penetrating into your home. This combination makes it more difficult for your home heater to keep your home nice and warm. Good insulation will allow the heater to run less often, yet still keep your home toasty
Seal up Windows
Just like in summer, your windows can dictate the temperature of your home. Your widows are another area where the warm air can escape and the cold air can come in, if not properly sealed shut. Check the moulding around your windows to make sure they are not cracked or damaged. If you live in an older home and have not had new windows installed, you may want to cover the inside of your windows with plastic or use heavy drapes to keep the cold air out.
In addition, close doors to the rooms that you don’t want to heat.
Dress in Layers
Winter is the perfect time for dressing in lots of layers. Pull out all of your heavy sweaters and socks to wear around the home and when you go outside. Layers will help you stay nice and warm and give you the freedom of taking some items off if you get too warm later in the day. As evening settles in you may find yourself going for another sweater or a nice heavy blanket to drape over you – don’t forget slippers and thermals.
Use Ceiling Fans in Reverse
Ceiling fans are not only good for the summer time; they can also be very helpful during the winter months. There should be a switch on the base of your ceiling fan that will allow you to set it in the reverse direction. As the heat in your home naturally rises, the ceiling fan will work to push the air back down and keep you warm.
Add Rugs to Your Hardwood Floors
Hardwood floors can provide a beautiful look for any home, but they can also get quite cold during the winter months. Put down some area rugs to cover portions of your hardwood floors, especially in high traffic areas of your home. Not only will this help to keep your floor warm, but it will also keep your entire home warmer.
Use Your Oven
Be sure to use your oven to cook during the winter months as much as possible. This will work to keep your home warmer because of the heat emitting from the oven. On extremely cold days, you can turn your oven on and leave the door opened to bring some additional heat into your home.
These tips will help you keep your home nice and toasty throughout the winter months. The night time is likely to be the coldest time of the day, so be sure to use some extra blankets when you are sleeping. You can even place a portable energy-efficient space heater in your bedroom to bring in additional heat if necessary. As long as you shield your home as much as possible from the outside temperatures, dress in layers, and maintain your furnace, you will stay nice a toasty this winter.
Also visit our tips for cooling down in the summer as you need only do the opposite of some of those tips to stay warm in the winter.
Image courtesy of artur84 / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
