10 DIY Tips to Keep Your Home Toasty Warm This Winter

Fall ended a bit early for us this year, and winter weather is already at our door. That means cold nights, and higher heating bills. Here are 10 tips for keeping your home toasty warm this winter without driving up your heating bill.

  1. 10 DIY Tips to Keep Your Home Toasty Warm This WinterChange your furnace filter. During the heating season, it is a good idea to change your furnace filters monthly, or try washable filters and clean them as recommended by the manufacturer. This simple, affordable fix can keep you more comfortable while also saving energy.
  2. Reverse the direction on ceiling fans. By switching the setting on your ceiling fan to clockwise, your fan can push warmer air toward the floor. This is particularly helpful if you have high ceilings.
  3. Lower your thermostat. For every one degree you lower the temperature, you can save approximately 3 percent on your heating bill. Also, use a programmable thermostat, so you can lower the temperature even further when you are sleeping and away from home. Set it up to warm up your home before you are scheduled to return for the evening.
  4. Lower your hot water temperature. Adjust your hot water heater from the standard 140 degrees to 120 degrees and consider taking showers, not baths. Showers use much less water.
  5. Seal air leaks. By controlling the amount of outside air that comes into your home, you can help control moisture and keep your home warm in the winter. Caulk and weatherstrip doors and windows, use foam sealant on larger window and baseboard gaps, and keep the fireplace flue damper closed when you’re not using the fireplace. Click here for more air leakage tips from Energy.gov.
  6. Install door sweeps. To prevent cold air from entering your home from underneath doors, make sure that each door and threshold are adequate. If not, install a door sweep along the bottom of the door.
  7. Take advantage of the sun. When the sun is shining during the day, open drapes and blinds to soak up as much of that natural energy as you can.
  8. Keep heating vents clear. Sometimes furniture is inadvertently placed in front of heating vents, preventing warm air from warming a room. Move furniture away from vents so it can circulate properly around the room.
  9. Use space heaters where appropriate. For small spaces, sometimes a space heater can help heat the room. Be careful though. Space heaters can be fire hazards, so choose the make and model carefully and make sure it is always attended. Check the energy consumption of the heater you select too. Sometimes they use more energy than you might expect.
  10. Use window insulation film. Using a pre-packaged kit, put plastic shrink film on the inside of your windows to keep the cold out and the heat in!

Sources:

This Old House, https://www.thisoldhouse.com/ideas/keeping-warm-less
Energy.gov, http://www.energy.gov/energysaver/air-sealing-your-home
The Art of Manliness, http://www.artofmanliness.com/2014/11/14/how-to-keep-your-house-warm-in-the-winter/
Apartment Therapy, http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/5-ways-to-insulate-your-windows-for-winter-37643

Marti Reeder, Realtor, Managing Broker