Cozy sweaters, warm hot chocolate, and nights of gathering at home are only a few highlights of winter. When temperatures drop, home becomes the focal point of most people’s lives. The following tips will help keep your family warm and safe as you enjoy everything winter has to offer.
Frosted Window Panes
Frosted window panes might set the scene for a beautiful holiday song, but they shouldn’t be anywhere near your cozy holiday house. Windows are for more than just a good view. They’re designed to keep cold air outdoors where it belongs. Properly installed storm windows can also reduce the heat lost through drafty windows by 10% to 20%.
While windows alone help keep you warm, covering your windows in plastic sheeting can make your rooms even toastier. Choose heavy-duty, clear plastic sheeting, and securely tape it around your windows. If there’s still a little chill in the air near the windows, you can hang heavy shades or drapes for added protection.
Keep The Heat, Lose The Cold
Caulking and weatherstripping can help keep your home warm. Both can be used around doors and windows to seal out cold air. Leaky baseboards and crown molding may also be caulked. Other candidates for sealing include unfinished areas behind closets, gaps around recessed lights, and spaces around pipes. A carefully sealed home can often reduce home heating costs in less than a year.
Maintain Your Home Heating System
Checking your furnace before cold weather arrives will help prevent costly emergency furnace installation next winter. Purchase a carbon monoxide detector and monitor your home for this deadly gas that can leak from your furnace into your living space. Search for and repair any leaks in your furnace as you replace its filter.
Get the most from your home heating system by properly managing your thermostat. When you’re away from home or asleep, turn your thermostat to 10°F to 15°F lower. This will help you save 10% on home climate control costs. Programmable smart furnaces are just one way to make staying warm even easier.
How you decide to heat your home safely this winter is up to you. You can focus on upgrading equipment, making better use of what you already own, or both. With all the information and new products available, keeping your family safe and warm this winter has never been easier.
