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It’s not uncommon for people to want to save money on their heating and cooling bills. But, if you have an older house, it might feel like a never-ending battle.
Older homes are notorious for being drafty, having outdated systems, and being hard to keep heat inside. You might even have an old boiler in your basement that require condensate return pumps in order to meet your heating needs.
Thankfully, keeping your older house warm doesn’t have to be an exercise in futility. In fact, there are plenty of little tips and tricks you can use to warm up what you might usually consider to be a “drafty space”, without having to spend a lot of extra money.
These simple tips can help you to save money on your heating bills each year! With that in mind, let’s dive in.
1. Close The Flu
You might be tempted to have a fire every night to keep the house warm, but try to limit it to just a few times a week. When you’re not using your fireplace, make sure to keep the flu closed – especially when it gets cold outside. This is a simple step, but one that most people forget about when they aren’t using their fireplace.
2. Make Your Ceiling Fans Work for You
You might think turning on your ceiling fans would make your home colder, but it all depends on which direction you have them going. On most ceiling fans, you’ll find a switch near the top that allows you to control whether they go clockwise or counterclockwise.
By setting them to spin clockwise, you can actually bring down the heat that rises to the top of your home, dispersing it throughout each room more evenly and effectively.
3. Give Your Registers Room
Take a look around each room of your house. Do you know where your registers are? Is there furniture blocking them?
This is an incredibly easy fix that can make a big difference. Keep furniture away from vents, registers, and radiators. Moving them even a few feet away can increase the heated airflow of a room and make it instantly warmer.
4. Get Free Solar Heat
Did you know that the sun could potentially cut your utility bills in half if you use it the right way? There are several different methods to try to really harness the power of solar energy. But, utilizing the sun during the day can certainly help to heat your home.
If you have curtains or drapes, make sure they are open in every room during the day, especially when it’s sunny. The sun will work as a natural heater, shining in through the windows and providing warmth to each room. At night, close the curtains again to keep the heat better contained inside.
As you can see, there are plenty of ways to keep your house warm, even if you have an older heating system or you’re constantly fighting drafts. Don’t be afraid to get creative and come up with your own solutions to keep the cold out and trap the heat inside.
