You can do many things at home to conserve heat and reduce the amount you spend, and the best part is that many of these tips are very simple.
It’s almost Thanksgiving, which means Christmas and the New Year are closer than you think. Holiday gatherings are becoming more of the norm following the past few years of the pandemic, where isolation and social distancing were a reality. To keep the traditions alive, keeping the temperature of your home is crucial. Continue reading for our tips on conserving heat during the winter months.
Let the sun in during the day
Allowing sunlight to come through the windows and into your home will help naturally heat your home. Think about what happens to a parked car if it’s in the sunlight; the temperature inside begins to rise. Animals also like to lay in the sun because it gives off heat.
But close the curtains at night
In the same way that heat can enter your house through the sunlight and windows, it can leave in almost the same way. Leaving curtains open at night could cause the heat to seep through the windows and escape into the night.
Eliminate air leaks and drafts
Weatherstripping and caulking gaps in your home where air can seep through will help to keep the warm air inside your home and the cold air out. The most common places to find air leaks or drafts are exterior doors, windows, attics, basements, and garages.
Close doors and vents in unused rooms
If there are rooms in your house that you never go into or at least are used less often than your bedroom or kitchen, then you can close off those vents and doors. You’d be saving yourself money by choosing not to heat a space that doesn’t need it.
Stay warm with clothes and blankets
A simple solution to conserving heat during the winter is to bundle yourself up. Utilizing blankets, sweaters, and layering garments will help keep you and your family warm without increasing your heating bill.
Keep the air circulating
Some people might not know that ceiling fans can be used to keep you warm during the cold months. Fans rotating counterclockwise will push cooler air down while flipping the switch will cause the fan to start rotating clockwise and pushing the warmer air that collected towards the ceiling down to the rest of the room.
Use space heaters
Space heaters are a great way to heat a specific area fast and work best when they are used for smaller spaces for shorter periods, meaning they might not be the best option for heating your entire home at all times. You can find our space heater safety tips here.
After using the oven, leave the door ajar
Using an oven as a primary heat source isn’t very practical, but using the heat left from the oven after it’s been used is. Leaving the door open just enough gives the heat a path to escape and warm the area. Some people already leave their oven door open to cool it down so they can store their baking sheets and pots, so why not get some additional heat out of it.
