Tips for Keeping a Warm House in the Winter
Here are a few tips to keep your house warm in the winter months without turning the heater up. Pair them with a nice sweater and some thick socks and you’ll be nice and cozy all winter long.
Get a Draft Snake
Draft snakes cover the cracks beneath doors and windows to keep out drafts. They can be as simple as a rolled up towel placed over any gaps.
You can also buy premade door snakes that slide under the door frame to block air from both sides or make it a fun DIY project to make a decorative snake.
Run the Ceiling Fan Backwards
Many fans have a switch that will run their blades backward. If you are looking up at the fan, forward should move the blades in a counterclockwise direction and backward should move them clockwise.
Running the fan clockwise will push the warm air that has risen to the ceiling back down into a room to warm it up.
Cover the Cracks
A little bit of caulk can go a long way to blocking out the cold. Search areas in your home where you often feel a draft for places that might need to be covered with caulk or weatherstripping.
You can use the incense trick to find the little cracks that are letting out warm air. On a breezy day walk around the house with a stick of incense, being careful of flammable materials, and watch the smoke. Anywhere that the smoke gets blown around or sucked towards the wall, there is a draft that needs to be covered.
Be especially suspicious of places where two different building materials meet, like doorframes, window frames and dryer vents.
Insulate Water Pipes
Insulating pipes can be done easily with material from the hardware store. Pipe insulation comes in rolls that wrap around pipes like tape or tubular-sleeves that you simply cut to size, place on the pipe, and seal with duct tape.
Insulation can keep hot water hotter with less energy or inhibit the water in pipes from freezing in extreme temperatures.
Insulating your home will help keep you warmer and save energy, but many of these upgrades are part of Energy Upgrade California, where you can get rebates for making your home more energy efficient.
Want to know more about heating your home in winter or getting rebates through Energy Upgrade California? Give us a call at 800-994-2577. Also, connect with us on Facebook!