Your furnace works hard in the winter to help you stay warm and comfy. No one wants to worry about freezing and not being comfortable when that snow starts to hit, and we are confident that you will want to turn it up a few degrees to make sure you feel good. But the higher you turn up the thermostat with your furnace, the more expensive it will be when you pay those utilities at the end of the month. Read on to learn how to keep your home warm in the winter.
You must take the necessary precautions and some extra steps to ensure that you do not end up with a high utility bill at the end of the month, Some of the ways that you can make sure that your home stays warm, without spending a ton of money on your utilities along the way includes:
Use Some Rugs
If you have bare floors, they can suck out the heat from the home in no time. There is nothing worse than waking up in the morning and having your warm toes touch the cold floor as you get out of bed in the morning. You can fix this problem by adding some more rugs to the floor. They not only work to help you style the room and make it look better, but they can keep your feet warmer if you have hardwood or tile flooring to deal with.
Check the Dampers
Next on the list to check are the dampers. Some ductwork is going to contain dampers to adjust the amount of airflow into the home. Take a look at these and make sure they are going the right way. Look for markings and handles on them that say winter or summer. Then you can set the damper to be parallel to the duct line so that you get more airflow into the home, which means that you will be able to get more heat into the space as well.
Consider Some Foil
This may seem like a silly thing to work on, but it is going to make all the difference. If you have a radiator in the home and it is attached to one of the external walls, you can get some foil and add it behind the radiator to help. The foil is going to be reflective, which is going to make it hard for the heat to disappear through the wall. Instead, it is going to reflect back into the room, keeping that space a bit warmer than before.
Consider a Fireplace Plug
If you do have a fireplace in your home, you may be losing close to 20% of your warm air in the home through a leak in the fireplace damper. You can consider purchasing a fireplace draft stopper to help seal up the flue to make sure the warm air is going to stay inside. There are different sizes available, so take the time to measure out your fireplace to ensure that you are getting a size that is good for you and your home.
Check the Filter
It is easy to forget all about the filter in your home, but if you ignore it and do not give it some of the attention it needs, this can turn into a big problem. This is one of the biggest problems of heating and cooling trouble in your HVAC system, but it is a simple thing you can fix. You can change out the furnace filter quickly and then a lot of the problems you thought you had with the furnace will disappear and your system will be more effective than ever before.
Use a Hot Water Bottle
Your bed is a comfortable space to lay your head and sleep. But it is no fun to lie down in it and then feel cold when it is time to go to sleep. A good solution to help with this is to get a hot water bottle. Fill it up with hot water and then place it under the blanket at the foot of the bed. It may not seem like much, but it can warm your feet, which will warm the rest of you as well. You can use this simple trick to help keep your home a few degrees colder in the winter.
Open the Curtains and Blinds
In the summer, you need to work hard to keep the curtains and blinds closed so that the hot air does not get in and make the air conditioner work harder than before. But you will want to do the opposite in the winter. Since you do want to warm up that space, you will need to pull back the curtains and let in some sunlight. The rays are going to feel good and can help warm you up, even on some of the coldest days that have you shivering.
Leave the Door of the Oven Open
When you are done making some of those yummy cookies in the winter, it is a good idea to leave the oven door open. This heat will flow out into the kitchen for a bit, which will help you to warm up the room. Use some caution if there are pets or children around, but it can help to warm up another room in the home.
Many things can go wrong with your air conditioner and furnace and when those do happen, you want to make sure you find the right solution to get it under control. Our team at A&L Plumbing, Heating, and AC Repair are here for you. We know how to complete all of the inspections, maintenance, and repairs you need for your HVAC system and are excited to work with you to make sure it is done right the first time. No matter how big or small the problem, our professionals will be able to come to your property and keep you comfortable all year. Contact us today to learn more.
