How to Stay Warm and Save Energy During the Cold Winter Months
If you are sick and tired of the exorbitant cost of heating your home during the winter months, then this article is for you.
It provides insight into how everything from the interior design of your home (including trendy window coverings) to your everyday actions can work to give you a more warm, comfortable space and keep more money in your pocket.
If you are a family or homeowner who wish to keep warm while saving as much money as possible, you will need to couple your technical knowledge about heating with practical, affordable techniques to gain the greatest level of comfort and efficiency.
Reasons Why Energy Costs Spike in Winter (And What You Can Do To Control Them)
Every winter, when winter arrives, a lot of people who own homes prepare themselves for their monthly electricity bills to go up due to the extreme cold outside.
When this occurs, it is not simply due to the cold; rather, it is because there are three reasons why you are losing heat from your home during the winter months. These three factors include:
(a) There are large amounts of cold air entering your home through window and door gaps
(b) Your heating equipment has to work harder, because your furnace/heat pump is continually having to re-warm cold air to keep it at the same temperature
(c) Your insulation is not sufficient to prevent cold air from entering and heat from escaping.
Now, while it may seem as if you are at the mercy of the elements, it’s essential to realize that you do have some control over your heating bills.
By identifying what is causing your home to lose energy, as well as implementing both large-scale and small changes to your home will yield you substantial savings, without having to sacrifice either aesthetics or comfort.
In fact, if you choose the right window coverings (for example, window treatments) as part of your overall home design plan, you can have both an effective energy source and an aesthetic appeal to keep your home warm.
5 Quick Ways To Keep Your Winter Energy Bill Down
Try these five straightforward but effective ways to lower your winter energy costs: Upgrade your window coverings, program your thermostat, seal any leaks, maintain your heater, and change the direction of your ceiling fan!
1. Install New Window Treatments:
Insulated drapes and vertical or horizontal stripes will keep cold air from escaping through the windows. In addition to controlling airflow, they will improve the look of your room.
2. Use a Programmable Thermostat:
If you have a programmable or smart thermostat, you can set it once and forget about it.
Set your thermostat to 68 degrees Fahrenheit while at home and decrease the temperature by about 7 to 10 degrees during the night or when not at home.
3. Weatherstripping and Air Sealing:
Air leaks account for the majority of heat loss from your home. Weatherstrip around doors and windows, use caulking to fill small gaps, install weatherstripping along the edges of your door, and open and close windows when not in use.
4. Care for Your Heating Equipment:
Cleaning, retapping, and changing the filters will allow your system to function properly, which in turn keeps the air in your home cleaner.
5. Change the Direction of Your Ceiling Fan:
Ceiling fans should rotate clockwise on low, creating a low–pressure area near the ceiling, and forcing warm air down toward the area where your family will be.
Your Home‘s First Point of Vulnerability for Heat Loss via Windows & Doors
Windows & doors have historically contributed to heat loss in homes (via drafts).
The smoke test is an easy way to identify areas of air leakage (drafts). You can conduct the smoke test by placing a lit candle or stick of incense close to the door /window frame.
Observe how the smoke from the candle/incense reacts to the wind (air movement).
Once you have identified the areas where you are losing heat (drafts), seal them with Weather Stripping at all moving points of contact, caulk around the fixed areas, and use Adhesive Window Film to add additional thermal barrier to your home.
In addition to sealing drafts, you can use decorative window coverings to provide additional benefits to the home.
Selecting the right fabric to create decorative curtains, drapes or valances can help enhance the thermal insulation of your home as well as create a warm & inviting style.
The Power of Window Treatments: From Drapes to Valances
Getting the Most Out of Your Heating System
Low-Cost and No-Cost Ways to Stay Warm
Keeping warm during winter months does not have to cost extra!
One way to stay warm is by using multiple layers of clothing such as sweaters, socks and slippers, along cozying up with a luxury throw blanket to elevate your space.
You can also add extra soft area rugs on hardwood and tile floors for insulation underneath your feet.
When trying to stay warm while sleeping, heat yourself using a hot water bottle or electric blanket instead of heating your entire house.
And when you are using your oven to cook, here is a great trick to save on your utility bill:
After you bake in your oven, open the oven door (if it‘s safe) for a little while to let the remaining heat from your oven come into your kitchen.
When used together, these inexpensive adjustments can result in substantial savings for you.
Lessons from the Past: How the Amish Stay Warm
The Amish community provides an example of how to stay warm without the use of advanced technology.
Layers of clothing, central wood-burning stoves, and simple home design are all integral parts of their winter lifestyle.
Instead of heating empty rooms, the Amish focus on creating a warm atmosphere for people, i.e., by having them together in one area.
We also can learn from this example by changing our mindset; instead of focusing on creating empty spaces that are heated.
We should focus on creating comfortable spaces and encouraging people to come together in warm friendly environments.
The best solution to cold temperatures is to take a thoughtful and layered approach to staying warm.
Eliminate as many drafts as possible, properly maintain your heating system, and use the added insulation of window coverings and curtains along with inexpensive, comfortable habits that help provide a home that is both energy-efficient and comfortable.
You can maintain a stylish look while being energy efficient by selecting well-designed window coverings (i.e., curtains) that will provide both.
If you want a warm and cozy home with lower monthly heating bills, look to beautiful and functional window coverings as part of your plan for a more comfortable winter this year.
