The ability of some folks to hunker down and face the cold is extraordinary, but for many of us the winter time becomes a season of shivers and frozen toes. Folks all over the country will be turning up the heat in their homes and spending more money on energy to get through the cold months without giving a second thought to how they could conserve energy. Stop letting your heat go to waste by using these 5 tips to conserve energy in the home this winter.
- Quilted Curtains
Windows are the number one source of drafts in the home, which can make your house uncomfortably cold even with the heat on. Installing heavy quilted curtains is a wonderfully simple way to seal off your drafty windows, block cold air from entering, and trap the heat in your rooms. You’ll be able to keep the house warmer without feeling the need to crank up the thermostat. As an added plus, you find nice patterns to decorate your rooms for a cozy winter feeling all around. - Space Heaters
Obviously turning down your heat in the winter will lower your energy bill, often by as much as one to five percent for every degree lower. However, every degree lower also means extra clothing you’ll have to wear around the house. This problem can be fixed by using space heaters. If you turn down the heat in the whole house and use space heaters in rooms where family members spend most of their time. You could use this trick to warm up the living room or cut the bills by space heating bedrooms while you sleep. - Insulate the Attic
Houses with attics are particularly susceptible to the harsh hands of winter. Just as you need to wear a hat in the cold months to trap your internal body heat, your house needs a hat as well. Hot air naturally rises, so if your attic isn’t insulated your heat is going to rise right out of the house. Invest in a professional service to insulate your attic and keep a lid on the house this winter. - Improve Windows
For long term energy savings, get to work on the windows. Your windows can let sunlight in and warm the house naturally during the day, but they can also let cold air in at the same time. Install quality blinds to let the sunshine in during the day, and block cool air at night. Installing double pane storm windows can cut drafts in the long run–in fact, in San Antonio new homes are sometimes outfitted with storm windows as standard issue. - Seal Drafty Air Leaks
There may be air leaks in your house that you don’t even know about, and would never expect. Use an infrared thermometer to find the unseen drafts in your house and fix them up as best you can. Spraying expanding foam into cracks can help seal drafty areas, which you can then finish as you please to match the house. Pay special attention to corners, base boards, and windows.
These are great winter tips! I was thinking about your quilted curtain idea and almost crossed it off the list, since I MUST HAVE lots of light during the day. I realized my error when I checked my mental image and saw dark blue and green curtains. I changed my mental image to whites and creams and light yellows, and it made me smile. Great idea. Just a note on the space heaters…I’ve paid out the nose for space heaters, so I would double check their efficiency before running too far too fast with this idea. There are good ones out there, though, and this can be a great way to save money.