In our latest blog, we mentioned the top 5 ways you could keep your home warmer this winter. This helps to avoid a costly heating service & energy bills. Radiant being a growing company, immersed in researching the market we work in, has recently come across a few more tips to share! These simple adjustments to your home can help you improve the comfort of your home and save money every month.
Move furniture away from vents.
Go around the house and double check that vents aren’t blocked, and if they are, find a way to rearrange your furniture, at least for the winter. Blocking return vents in a forced-air central heating system could also cause air pressure issues, which further disrupts the flow of heat. You should be able to feel the air coming from the vent when you stand or place your hand in front of it.
Seal all potential air leaks
The most common places where air leaks occur are through windows and doors, but there can be other weaknesses in your home that allow hot air to escape. Think attics, basements (where cements meets the wood frame), even kitchen hood vents. Hint: caulking can be your best friend.
Close the doors to your living spaces
If you spend a lot of time in certain rooms, you should make sure that the doors and windows are always closed to allow maximal heating to occur.
You can also close doors to rooms that aren’t frequently used in your home — just make sure you also close the vents in those rooms. This acts to lower the heated square footage, and the warm air will spread quicker and easier through the house.
Utilize space heaters (with caution!)
Space heaters are excellent tools for keeping individual rooms warm. The danger is that they are a high-risk fire hazard. In fact, they account for one-third of all heating-related house fires! So don’t estimate the dangers of a space heater when you’re using one in your own home.
To ensure the safety of your household, keep any flammable material at least three feet away, and make sure the heater is on an even and stable surface. Never leave space heaters on overnight or when you leave the home (there are timed space heaters that turn off after 1-4 hours that are a better option than manually-operated ones). Additionally, it’s a good idea to use space heaters that shut off automatically when tipped over.
Before You Touch the Thermostat, Put on a Sweater.
Smart residential heating is more about keeping the person warm versus the entirety of the house. The house doesn’t really care if it’s a little chilly, but you care if you’re cold. So throw on hoodies and sweaters, get a warm robe, sip on hot coffee or tea all day, break out the thick blankets and bed sheets; do whatever you need to do to stay warm.
What tricks do you have for keeping your place warm in the winter? Call Radiant for heating service, and make sure your furnace or boiler keeps you comfortable all winter long!
