Staying warm in the winter seems next to impossible if you’re trying to beat elements like snow, ice, and a frosty wind. While it’s tempting to turn the heat up, this raises your bill and makes it even more expensive just to stay comfortable.
If you’re looking for ways how to keep your house warm and save money at the same time, you’re in the right place. We’ll show you techniques that will leave your home warm and toasty.
Discover more about staying warm in the winter. You’ll feel amazed at how easy it is to improve circulation with some common techniques and old-fashioned tricks people have practiced for years.
1. Don’t Heat Every Room in the House
Although it seems tempting, don’t feel as though your whole house needs heat. Think about the rooms you and your family use the most, and focus on keeping those the warmest.
These usually include:
- Kitchen
- Living room
- Family room
- One bathroom
Evaluate how often someone’s home, and which rooms get used the most. If it’s early in the morning and everyone’s leaving the house soon, close off bedrooms and other rooms that don’t need the heat.
2. Cover Your Floors for a Cost-Effective Plan
When figuring out the best way to heat your home, consider what your floors look like. Do you have carpet everywhere or hardwood floors?
If you have hardwood floors and feel cold often, have you considered the benefits of area rugs? These are cheaper than wall-to-wall carpeting and offer a fun and creative way to personalize your house.
They keep your feet warm and off a freezing cold floor. This can trick your mind into thinking its warmer, meaning you’re not turning up the heat to get to every inch of your home.
3. Seal Up Your Windows
Sealing up windows is important, but something many people forget to do every season. The next time you’re deep cleaning your house, take a look at your windows.
Make note if you feel any drafts and if it’s just around part of the window or all of it. Use caulk to help you seal around the window, and see how much warmer you feel once you stop letting cold air in.
4. Slip in to Something More Comfortable
When many people hear this, they usually think less clothing instead of more. Our goal here is to keep you warm and save money.
Think about how you typically dress when you’re at home and how this affects your heating bill. Do you always favor shorts at home no matter what time of year, or do you go without a sweater over your shoulders even in the dead of winter?
If you’re only wearing certain clothes because you like the way they look or never paid attention to how you dress at home, consider adding a few new (warmer) pieces to your wardrobe. You’ll save money, stay warm, and look great if you ever need to run out somewhere.
5. Check Your Insulation When Planning How to Keep Your House Warm
One factor that’s often overlooked is the quality of insulation within a home. Many people think once insulation gets put in, there’s reason to check it again.
Check out the insulation in your basement and attic, and add extra up there if needed. These areas tend to get affected most by cold and wind.
Insulating your home is easier than you think, and saves money by reducing how much heat you need to keep your house warm. See how this simple step keeps your home at the proper temperature, from winter to summer.
6. Let Weatherstripping Help You Out
Weatherstripping is an effective way of keeping the wind and cold weather out. If you haven’t checked your doors and windows, do so now, and see what kind of condition your stripping is in.
Thin or worn stripping means it’s easier for the chills to come into your home, making it harder to heat. You can avoid these problems by evaluating and replacing weatherstripping as needed.
7. Have Your Ceiling Fans Help You Out
Ceiling fans commonly get used to circulate air and keep you cool during the summer. But did you know this can work wonders in winter as well?
Have your fan turn in the opposite direction, to push heat down from the ceiling. If you have vaulted ceilings that collect warm air, this is a useful technique in recycling what you already have.
If you’re looking for a way to get heat from your floor and not just your ceiling, check out this website for help.
8. Build a Fire
If your house is equipped with a fireplace or wood stove, consider building a fire the next time you’re cold. If you already have wood and plan on relaxing at home anyway, this is an ideal time to pretend you’re a pioneer and keep your house warm the old-fashioned way.
While this isn’t ideal to do every single day or when you need to leave the house, it can create a feeling of warmth and coziness you’ll get to enjoy for the rest of the evening.
9. Try One of Grandma’s Favorite Methods
When in doubt and you want to warm up quickly, consider using a method your grandparents and even parents enjoyed: a hot water bottle. Many people use these when relaxing on a chair or going to bed; you can do it whenever it most convenient for you.
If you don’t like the idea of using hot water, try heating up rice or beans in a tube sock. As unusual as it sounds, this is equally effective when needing to stay warm in a pinch.
Discover More
If you’re looking for ways how to keep your house warm during winter, consider some of these suggestions. You can make small improvements and changes to your house and routine when looking for ways to save money on heat.
If you’re looking for different ways to redo your home, check out our blog on 10 types of roofs to consider. You’ll find a new look that protects your home and looks stylish at the same time.
