Winter's cold temperature usually drives up a household's energy bills despite home owners ensuring that the house is properly insulated. A properly functioning heating system can cause thousands of dollars in maintenance and upkeep, but there are a few simple solutions to keeping your house warm and saving money on energy bills. Below are some suggestions:
1) Curtains
By now, you should already have set up winter-ready curtains around your house. Closing them at night will help trap heat indoors and there's no need to turn up the heating system higher. The curtains must be thick so that heat doesn't escape easily, especially in many homes where single-glazed windows are common. If you have window blinds installed, lower them at night as well to seal in the heat some more. You can DIY thermal curtains via Sustaina Blog.
In the morning when the sun is up, open the curtains to let free natural heat and light in.
2) Walls
Bare walls can make room a lot colder, but if you add paintings, posters and tapestries, it can help warm up the room, according to The Conversation. These add-ons are not just decorative pieces as they can be insulators.
3) Unoccupied Rooms
Close the doors to any empty rooms in the house so that the cold air won't circulate to the rest of the house. Closing doors of empty rooms will also help hold the heat from the heating system in the lived-in areas, according to MSN.
4) Radiator
Affix tin foil next to the wall where your radiator is attached. This is an old trick that still does wonders. For best results, pick out foil from home improvement shops instead of kitchen foil, according to She Knows.
5) Windows
Do minor repair works on windows that are damaged. Caulk gapes and holes temporarily so that air leaks are prevented, according to U.S. Department of Energy. Double glaze your windows using window film, double sided tape and a hair dryer, per She Knows.
6) Floor
Add rugs, cushions and carpets to the floor so that it's less cold. Like the pieces you hang on bare walls, these items on the floor are also insulators. Seal cracks using either silicon-based, polyurethanes or epoxies sealants, according to Concrete Network.
