How To Make Your Home More Comfortable In Cold Weather

To keep your home comfortable, there are a number of tasks you can accomplish on your own, as well as some things you can hire a professional to take care of. It’s important to remember that if you feel uncomfortable with any of this, call in a professional to help you out.

Use Throw Blankets, Slippers, and Area Rugs

Using throw blankets, slippers, and area rugs are simple, but effective ways to stay comfortable once it starts to get cold out. Instead of cranking up the heat to an uncomfortable level, using these items will help you stay comfortable and cozy in your home. Keeping your feet off the floor by using area rugs and slippers goes a long way, just like having a few blankets to cover up when you are watching TV. 

Once again, this is something you generally do on your own, and as long as you don’t need to go out and purchase all this at once, it’s not a very expensive task. 

Turn Your Ceiling Fan To Clockwise

Most of the time your ceiling fan is used to cool you off in the warmer months. What a lot of people don’t realize is that your fan can also be used to keep your place warm as well. If you turn the fan clockwise, it creates a downdraft that will push the warm air that rises in your home back down into the living space. The key is to have the fan on a low speed so it gently pushes the warm air down. If the fan is moving too fast, it can make the air cool. 

To change the direction of your fan, you should be able to flip a little switch located by the base of your ceiling fan. 

Check Your Insulation/Seal Windows And Doors

Sealing leaks and cracks in your windows and doors goes a long way to keeping your home more comfortable and warmer. It also really helps save energy and maintain lower utility bills. This can be a tougher task, and one that requires some handy work, or potentially hiring a professional. 

If you want to have your insulation improved, calling in a professional may be the right choice. They can inspect the insulation in your ceiling, and areas that are easier to improve. You can probably seal cracks and leaks in the windows and doors a bit easier. You can use a sealant that eliminates little drafts and air escaping through your windows. You can also use weather stripping or door draft blockers to eliminate the draft from the door as well. 

If you live in a home with older windows and doors, it may be a good idea to invest in newer, energy efficient ones. Single pane windows can be a huge source of energy loss. You probably notice the chill coming from the window when it’s very cold out. It can be a pricey investment installing new windows and doors, but one that eventually pays itself off with saving on your energy bills. 

Schedule Heating System Service

Your heating system should be serviced at least once a year. This leads to: 

• Improved Energy Efficiency
• Smoother Operation
• Lower Energy Bills
• Improved Heating/Comfort
• Longer System Lifespan
• Maintains Warranty
• Improved Indoor Air Quality

There are more benefits to heating service than you sometimes realize. We recommend you have your furnace or heat pump serviced at least once a year. This will ensure its smooth operation, and improve your home comfort for winters to come.