No matter how much you love (or hate) winter, there are things that should be done to make sure that you and your loved ones will live comfortably through the season. Winterize your home with these simple hacks to keep everyone warm and cozy.
7 Simple Hacks to Insulate Your Home This Winter
1. Insulate your attic.
You can do this one yourself or hire professionals to spray foam insulation. Kansas City, Chicago, Cincinnati, and other major cities have reputable providers and suppliers who can easily get the job done.
Either way, insulating your attic helps to keep the warmth in your house where it is much needed and away from your attic. Doing this also has a significant impact on your energy bills as it is one of the most efficient ways of saving energy consumption during wintertime.
2. Change your storm door’s screen.
Come fall, it is best to change the screen on your door to glass panes. Although your main door will most likely be closed the whole time during winter, the extra layer of protection to keep the cold out will prove very helpful in keeping you and your family warm and cozy inside.
3. Cover your walls and floors.
Your interior decorator might have a ball with this idea. Prevent heat from escaping your home by adding insulation on your walls and floors.
You can hang picture frames, paintings and artwork, bookshelves, tapestries, or even simple posters and place them against your wall to help give it an additional, albeit thin, layer of protection. That extra layer of insulating air helps bring the temperature up by 2°F. If you have squeaky floorboards, placing a rug over it helps air from escaping through it.
4. Seal doorways.
Drafts at the bottom of the door may seem nice during spring and summer, but can be a pain during colder seasons. They not only let freezing air in, but they can also jack up your electric bill. Whether you use draft guards that are available commercially or you decide to DIY it, make sure to seal off the bottom of your door to keep out the cold winter draft.
5. Install thick and heavy curtains.
If you have very drafty windows at home, some longer, thicker, and heavier curtains can help keep the draft at bay and keep your home nice and warm.
6. Turn the lights on.
The heat that indoor lighting contributes to an area has a great impact on an HVAC system. The warmth that each light bulb brings, called a heat gain, helps increase the temperature at home, especially those incandescent colored light bulbs.
7. Keep your furnace and HVAC well-maintained throughout the year.
One of your best friends during the freezing winter is the HVAC system so you have to make sure you take care of it all year long because it will take good care of you during the holidays. It is important that you perform regular maintenance on your HVAC to keep it at an optimum level.
If you haven’t found the time to insulate your home yet, it’s never too late to start. Would you rather have a cold and miserable winter season indoors or enjoy the best of both (hot and cold) worlds? Time to get started!