During the winter months in New England, it is more important than ever to ensure that your home feels cozy and warm. With the chilling temperatures, you may be tempted to crank the heat, especially during the night. While this feels great in the moment, when your monthly bill comes in, you may think otherwise! Luckily, there are some ways that you can keep your heating bill down without having to freeze.
We have pulled together some winter hacks on how you can keep your house warm without having to crank the heat. Check them out here:
Program your thermostat.
First off, check and see if the thermostat that you have can be programmed. If it has the ability to be programmed, then you will have more control over the temperature of your home throughout the day. For example, some people prefer to have their home warmer in the morning and daytime, and cooler while they sleep. Whatever your preference is, you can schedule the temperature to heat up or cool down to your liking throughout the day. And to go the extra mile, consider purchasing a smart thermostat which are budget-friendly and allow you to change the temperature from your smartphone, so you can have access to your thermostat while you are on-the-go and wherever you are.
Insulate and seal your windows.
Insulating and sealing your windows will help to prevent a draft from coming through and making your home feel chillier. If you do not already have storm or insulated windows in your home, you can seal them yourself by replacing the caulking and adding weatherstrips to prevent the draft. Further, you can insulate your windows by using a window film insulation kit which you can install all by yourself.
Use rugs throughout your home.
If you have tiled or hardwood floors throughout your home, you know how cold they can feel on your feet on a bone-chilling day! Try to use area rugs throughout your home where you can help cozy up the room and keep your feet warm as you are walking through the house. Not to mention, rugs are an awesome way to add some colors, patterns, and textures to your room, and offer a nice change if you are looking to spice up a certain area in your home.
Open curtains so sun can shine through during the day but close them at night.
If it is sunny outside, open the curtains throughout your home so that the warm sunshine can get into your home. This will help to warm things up regardless of the temperature outside and how cold it is. However, if you choose to let the sunlight in during the day, make sure that you are closing your curtains at night so that you are trapping the heat inside your home as best as you can.
Reverse your fans.
If you have not heard of reversing your fans before, it is super easy and a great and effective way to heat up your home. Reverse the motion of your ceiling fans so that they are moving clockwise, which will ultimately help to move the air downward and towards you and your family to help keep you warm. While most people look at fans as an opportunity to cool them down, they can be super helpful in the winter as well to heat things up!
Add a stopper to your door to stop drafts.
Any doorways in your home that lead to the outside can bring cold air in through a draft. Door draft stoppers are a great way to prevent cold air from getting in. While there are a ton of options out there in terms of different stoppers to purchase, you can also easily make your own by cutting a piece of fabric the length that you need to cover your whole door and filling it with stuffing such as sand. This will make a huge difference while your door is shut throughout the day.