With the cold setting in, I’m sure you’re thinking of ways to keep toasty while avoiding any massive heating bills. To help you out, we’ve compiled some practical tips to beat the cold this season and stay warm and comfortable!
-Make use of sunlight. On those clear and wonderfully sunny days, open the curtains to let your house absorb as much free heat as possible. Open windows that are faced most toward the sun and bound to get the most sunlight.
-During the night, be sure to close your curtains to prevent any heat loss. It might be helpful to invest in thick curtains, or, if you live in an especially cold area, to consider buying insulated curtains.
-Close off unused spaces. Keep the areas where people are sitting warm by shutting doors to other areas. It will close off cold, as well as keep in the heat already generated.
– Layer your floors. Rugs and carpets keep cool air from rising from your floorboards. Area rugs are intended for more than just being stylish and colorful decor – they’re there to keep your feet warm.
-Adjust your ceiling fans. Instead of leaving them dormant for these next few months, check to see if they have a ‘winter’ setting, which will make it so it spins counterclockwise pushing hot air back down.
-Use space heaters. These are mainly effective for small spaces, so make sure other spaces are closed off.
-Tin foil. Use heat reflective aluminum foil behind the radiation to prevent extra heat loss. It reflects the heat back into your room and keeps it from disappearing through the wall.
-Be smart about using fire place. Normally, lighting a fire is inefficient for warming since most of the heat is released through the fireplace. Perhaps invest in a chimney balloon, which is placed inside the chimney and prevents heat loss into the cold air outside and also prevents any incoming cold air.
-Worry about the person, not the house. Wear cozy socks. Dress yourself in layers and hang out in warm areas like the kitchen. Do lots of baking – the oven is great for generating heat and will be a perfect way to practice new recipes. In other words, focus on warming yourself instead of the whole house, and you’ll save loads on your heating bill.