Secrets For A Warmer Home
If you are trying to find a better way to keep your large house warm during the winter months than racking up a huge energy bill, then you may find the information in this article to be quite helpful. It will help you figure out ways to keep the house warmer without counting so much on your heater.
Keep in mind that heat rises
Since heat rises, it will be easier for you to keep the upper floor of your home warmer than the lower floors. If it's possible, you can convert the upper level to the area where you and your family spend the most time and do your best to close off the lower levels. Work on heating the upper floor and try to spend the majority of your time there. The lowest areas that will be the coldest include cellars and basements. Shut the basement and if there is a draft coming from the door then you should do your best to stop the draft by covering cracks with anything from towels to duct tape.
Have thick curtains installed
If you currently have blinds or sheer coverings on your windows then you may want to have thick curtains installed. They can help you to prevent cold drafts from coming into the living space through the windows. You want to make sure the curtains are completely shut when it's windy outside, when it's very cold and at night.
Consider having hard flooring covered
If you are looking for new flooring and you currently have hard flooring then you may want to make the switch to carpeting. If you decide to stick with the hard flooring, then you can instead lay out a lot of large area rugs. They help to hold the warmth in a room better.
Keep your rooms well furnished
If you have large rooms in the house that you allow to remain quite empty then it will invite more coldness. Putting more furniture in the large rooms will also help to capture more warmth from your heat source.
Stay on top of your heating sources
You want to make sure you have the flue to your chimney cleaned out once a year to avoid issues and potential fire hazards. You also want to make sure you stay on top of having the propane tank filled before you nearly run out if your heating is run on propane. If you have central air, then you want to be sure you have it serviced once a year to avoid maintenance issues that can be caught and taken care of ahead of time. If you use space heaters, you want to make sure you center them so they blow toward the center of the room and make sure they are sitting on a hard space, so they won't tip.