Keeping warm in whatever season, especially if you’re in an area with usually cold weather, is vital to comfortable and healthy living. Whether you’re a person who spends a lot of time indoors or has an outdoor living space, you’ve come to the right place.
Here are some changes you might want to make to your home to keep warm all year.
Checking for Air Leaks
Drafts or air leaks make your home uncomfortable, letting in the cold from the outside. It can also cost you up to an additional 15 percent on your utility bill each year. Look for gaps and cracks on walls and other common points of air leakage. Air leaks can be found on knee walls, dryer and plumbing vents, recessed lights, and wiring holes.
Since air leaks can be found in different areas of the house—around the doors, windows, flues, and chimneys—there are also different ways to DIY and stop air leakage. Better yet, if the draft is getting worse, it’s time to get a professional inspection and let them fix it right away.
Cleaning Air Filters and Ducts
For healthy and safe indoor air quality, it’s crucial to maintain your air ducts and filters. Clean out the ducts where until where you can reach them. If you have exhaust fans in your bathroom and kitchen, make sure to clean those, too. Too much dirt on them can shorten their life and functionality, and the air you breathe will be just as dusty as there is dust in the fans.
If you have an indoor fireplace or a gas stove and a chimney, get them checked and cleaned at least once a year by a professional because it can be poisonous if you do it yourself.
Insulating the Basement or Attic
Some people underestimate the importance of insulating. A poorly insulated attic or basement compromises the airflow and the temperature in the rest of the house. Like drafts, it also increases your energy bill because your thermostat will try the best of its abilities to keep the temperature you’ve set them.
Basements and attics are often too hot or too cold and damp. The outside walls are absorbing outdoor and underground temperatures and spread them to the entire house. The improper temperature and moisture occur when there is no proper insulation.
Upgrading to a Smart Thermostat
A smart thermostat minimizes your energy bills since it lets you track your energy use, and you can schedule when to turn it down. You can control the temperature through your phone even when you’re not home. For example, you’re coming home from work, and you need a specific room temperature once you get home. You can turn up the heat or the cold from your workplace, so it would already be convenient once you get home.
Putting Up Better Lighting
Lighting is both an aesthetic and functionality. With better lighting, it contributes to the cozy vibe, whether indoors or outdoors of your house. It also gives a particular area more life to diminish a sad and dull sight.
It also adds to your safety if you’re hanging out in your outdoor area. Floor lighting can be a good option, lighting up your walkways. You can also put up lights on your plants and trees if you feel like it. Doing this can light up your house and a part of the neighborhood. You can stay warm and have fun with your family and guests during barbecue fests or simple gatherings.
Upgrading Your Living Room
An upgrade in your entertainment area doesn’t have to be costly or grand. A simple upgrade can mean a new couch cover, more pillows, and more blankets so the whole family can enjoy a lazy Sunday night or a cozy sleepover with friends. You can also make alterations to the lighting in here, creating a warm and inviting vibe.
Turning Up the Heat Outside
If you have an outdoor living space, you can have a fireplace built, or there are some ways to build one on your own. Having a backyard fire pit encourages the family to spend more time outdoors to tighten their bond and have some exercise instead of just sitting and lying around all day.
Final Thoughts
It is your right to make your home as comfortable as you want, in accord with your personal style. Whether you’re on a budget or want a major upgrade in your home, keeping your living space warm for yourself and your family is a way of showing how much you care.
